


An Untold Beginning

by Heather Michelle (Heathermice)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Animagus, Bullying, Dementors, F/M, Gen, Gryffindor Pride, Guardian Remus Lupin, Malfoy Manor, Mentor Minerva McGonagall, OC, Orphan - Freeform, Orphanage, POV Multiple, POV Remus Lupin, POV Third Person, Patronus, Post-Sirius Black in Azkaban, Potions, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Protective Remus Lupin, Ravenclaw Pride, SPEW | Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin Friendship, Sirius Black Free from Azkaban, Sirius Black Lives, Sirius Black Needs a Hug, Sirius Black as Padfoot, Sirius Black in Azkaban, The Marauder's Map, The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, Weasley twin pranks, marauders heir, remus lupin Sirius black roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:47:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 141
Words: 297,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22695022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heathermice/pseuds/Heather%20Michelle
Summary: When no one in the wizarding world would take her in, the daughter of Sirius Black, goddaughter to Remus Lupin grew up in an orphanage of muggles. How will her world unravel when she finally discovers who she really is?Mia's story runs parallel to Harry and the golden trio. You see Harry and his adventures, and sometimes Mia plays a small part, but for the most part she is an OC living her best OC life and story.
Comments: 213
Kudos: 172





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story I started back in 2011 and posted on fanfiction.net, and wanted to bring over as I finish it up since that site is a little dead. I've come a long way since then, and my spelling/grammar used to be TERRIBLE. Now it's ok :] I didn't have a beta for most of this story, but I've gone over it before re posting, so it's cleaned up a good bit. 
> 
> I'm getting ready to publish my own ya/fantasy novel later this year, so re writing this has been my fun project in-between editing. I plan on posting small chapters every day till it's finished. Hope you enjoy!!
> 
> I own nothing in the potterverse.

It was the climax of what would one day be known as the First Wizarding War. Voldemort was at the height of his power, and although his goal was to crush out all hope and love, there were still those who fought, who loved, and who believed they would win. Voldemort fought to take over and enslave the wizarding world, but there was one force that would not let him win. The Order of the Phoenix was a group of witches and wizards who refused to step back and let Voldemort have his way. These people, who despite the dread and misery they were fighting against, refused to give up and continued to do the things that didn't seem responsible for people fighting in a war. 

They fell in love, got married and started families. 

When you're fighting in a war, it doesn't seem practical to do something like have a baby, but building up that next generation and pouring all of your love and strength into them becomes what you're fighting for.

The first couple in the Order to further their love through a child was the Longbottoms. Alice and Frank brought a wonderful boy they named Neville into the world on the 30th of July. This cute and pudgy little baby was well loved by his brave and courageous parents.

The following day on the 31st, the second baby of the Order was born to the Potter family. Lily and James named their beautiful son Harry. He had his father's looks and his mother's eyes. If the baby had come a day later his sorrowful fate would perhaps have been passed to the Longbottom's son.

Two weeks later in the middle of august, one of the least likely members of the Order became a father. Sirius Black looked lovingly into the eyes of his daughter as he held her tight in his arms. His little Mia Bell. He sat on the edge of his sleeping wife's bed and rocked their daughter. He whispered promises to always love her and to always put her wellbeing first. He stood up and carried his daughter to the hallway to introduce her new family. This family was not comprised of any blood relatives, but they were closer than and family, and their love was stronger than anything Sirius had ever received from his own blood.

"Guys! I would like you to meet my daughter, Amelia Michelle Black!" Sirius smiled a large wolfish grin as he handed his daughter to her God Father. "Remus, I'm counting on you to teach her to be a responsible adult while James and I teach her to have fun!"

"Oh Sirius," Remus Lupin, honored at the title of Godfather, cooed at the small baby in his arms. "How on earth did you ever sire such a beautiful child?"

James Potter jabbed Sirius in the ribs with his elbow. "Good thing it looks like she takes after Cassy!" The last statement was clearly a falsehood, but James stated it anyways as he looked down into the face of the new baby. Amelia Michelle was clearly her father's daughter. With her striking black peach fuzz and her light complexion, it was rather evident the only feature she kept of her mothers was her piercing blue eyes.

Lupin picked up a little stuffed grey wolf and snuggled it next to the baby in his arms. "So you always remember which of your uncles loves you most."

"Well, that's not fair! If I had known this was a competition I would’ve bought her a rat!" The short watery eyed wizard peered over the blankets to look at the little baby.

"Please Pettigrew, who wants their daughter to carry around a rat stuffed animal!" James laughed at his short friend.

"James! Be nice." Lily elbowed her husband in the side as she scooted closer to look at the little baby and wolf. Her own little sleeping two week old boy in her arms not even stirring at her movements. "Aw, Remus, it's an adorable wolf. I think it's perfect!"

"Yeah it's her bear from Uncle Moony. It's her Moony Bear! Perfect!" Sirius Laughed excitedly at his own wit.

Lupin looked disapprovingly at his best friend. "Sirius it's a wolf not a bear."

"To late! Moony Bear it is. It's perfect." Lupin growled. Lupin handed his Goddaughter back to her father and all the well wishers said their last congratulations and allowed the proud dad to head back to his resting wife. Sirius walked back into his wife's room taking his eyes off of his daughter just long enough to see his wife Cassandra Black waking up. She smiled sweetly at him and reached out her hand. He took it and sat back down on the edge of her bed. Cassandra Black - (nee Montgomery) had never been a very strong woman. Not to say she wasn't brave and courageous, for although she was a Ravenclaw, she was a bold and confident woman, but her constitution wasn't as strong as her classmates. She was often sick as a child, growing up with her muggle parents she didn't have the perks of the wizarding healthcare system to make her stronger. When she received her Hogwarts letter, her parents were worried for her health, sending her off to a boarding school for nine months out of the year. But in hindsight sending her to Hogwarts was the safest thing for the young Cassandra. Although she still became sick thought her school years, living within the walls of Hogwarts, Cassandra was safe from the muggle hating Death Eaters who attacked and killed her family during her fifth year.

That was also the year Cassandra found comfort from her grief in the arms of Sirius Black. In school Sirius and his friends the Marauders were pranksters, and Sirius was the biggest clown of them all. Before the year her parents died, Cassandra hated everything to do with the Marauders. She was a bit of a goodie-good and didn't like their immature ways. 

The day after she found out about her parents’ deaths, Sirius found her crying in a corridor next to a statue of a one-eyed witch. After awkwardly staring at her for a few minutes trying to decide what to do, he pushed away the fifteen year old boy in his mind telling him to run away and wrapped his arms around her and held her until she stopped crying. And then he did the most amazing thing she could have imagined. He made her laugh.

From that day Cassandra and Sirius were inseparable. She joined the Order and although she wasn't physically strong, she was a brilliant witch and added much to the fight against Voldemort. Not long after they graduated, they were married, and soon Cassandra was pregnant. Alice, Lily and Casey were the three pregnant order members and if it wasn't obvious in their school years that Cassandra didn't have a strong constitution, it became clearly evident in her pregnancy. Pregnancy made Lily and Alice glow, but the severe morning sickness and fatigue made Cassandra thin and pale.

Now that she’d given birth, it was Sirius's greatest hope his beloved wife's health would pick up, even if it meant he had to spend the next few months living for her every beck and call. Sirius gently stroked his wife's forehead as she drifted back to sleep. Little did he know rest was going to become even more scarce for the new family.

A year later of attacks and battles found the Order members tired and scared. Most of them had families to protect from vengeful Death Eaters. It had been decided some members would go into hiding. The Potters due to a prophecy were one of the first. They named Sirius as secret keeper and entered into hiding. A few days before Halloween found Sirius planning to put his own family into hiding. He’d met with the Potters and made James his family's secret keeper while convincing them to make Peter Pettigrew, one of the original Marauders their secret keeper instead of Sirius.

That Halloween night Sirius got the worst news he could imagine. A stag patronus rushed into his house while he sat on the couch playing with baby Amelia Michelle. The stag opened his mouth and the frightened voice of James Potter came tumbling out speaking only two words. 

"He's here!" 

Voldemort found the Potters and Lily and James were in trouble. Sirius stood up and handed his oblivious baby to his wife and disapparated on the spot appearing outside of Godric's Hollow. What he saw shocked him to the core. The house was in pieces, the roof was gone and one whole side of the house was missing. He ran into the wreckage and found the dead body of James in the living room. He stood frozen in fear unable to move. Finally, the crying of a baby broke through his shock and he ran up the broken steps to the second floor. There he saw Lily lying dead in front of the crib with baby Harry crying his head off. A cut on his forehead shaped like a lightning bolt bled slightly. Sirius sprang into action and picked up the baby trying to comfort him as he carried him from the wreckage. He stood in the street at a loss for what to do. It was dangerous to apparate with a baby that young. So he went over to the Potters now buried garage and using his wand attempted to dig out his old flying motorbike he’d loaned to James. Between the collapsing house and the crying baby in his arms, it took him a few minutes to dig it out. Just then a man three time the size of a normal man came running down the road towards the wreckage.

"Oh! Sirius! I can't believe-" The giant man let out a wail and large tears fell from his face. "Lily and James! It ain't fair! It can't be!" Sirius didn't know what to say. He didn't trust himself to speak without crying, and Harry needed someone to be strong for him. The giant managed to get a few more words out in-between gasps. "Dumbledore told me what happened. Told me t' floo down and retrieve the boy! Oh it just ain't fair! Poor Harry!"

"Here, Hagrid," Sirius handed the boy to the giant. He knew Harry would be safe wherever Dumbledore planned to take him, and at the moment Sirius needed to be free to hunt down the man responsible for his friend's death. There would be time to retrieve his Godson after he had his revenge on Pettigrew. "Take my motorbike and promise to keep Harry safe. I won't be needing it anymore."

Hagrid wailed even louder and scooped Sirius up into a big hug as Sirius protected Harry from being squished in the large mans arms. Placing Sirius back on the ground Hagrid gingerly pulled the small child into his arms and muttered a few illegible words through his tears and wails. He climbed onto the motorbike and flew into the sky. Sirius stood in the street watching the tail lights of his motorbike as Hagrid took the small child away. 

Sirius knew what he needed to do. He needed to hunt down Pettigrew. If he didn't prove the Potters had switched secret keeper than Sirius would be blamed for betraying them to their death and he would be sent away to Azkaban. He couldn't do that to his wife and daughter. Deciding where he would go he apparated on the spot to begin his search.

After searching for most of the night he returned home to check on his family. No doubt Cassandra would be furious with him not telling her exactly where he went off to. Arriving in front of the warm country house he called home, he noticed the front door was wide open. Fear froze him in the spot.

He ran inside and found his wife lying in her chair dead with his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange standing over her holding his daughter in her hand like she was something gross. Amelia Michelle was a brave baby. She wasn't easily frightened and loved to be thrown up into the air, knowing every time she fell back to earth someone would always catch her. She may have only been a year old but she was a good judge of character. She may not have been scared of this crazy eyed woman holding her up but she certainly was not happy about the arrangement. 

"Sirius! My dear cousin! I see your secret keeper died. How sad for you!"

"Give me my daughter now, Bellatrix." Sirius's voice was shaking with anger and the look in his eyes said murder. His wand was in his hand pointed at his cousin.

Bellatrix smiled and giggled perversely. "Now why would I do that? You, my disgraceful cousin, tainted our family line by procreating with that filthy mudblood. I'm simply trying to clean up the mess!" She pointed her wand at the very grumpy baby and began speaking a curse. "Ava-"

Before she knew what was happening Sirius had shot her with a leg locker hex and levitated his daughter across the room. He used all his Quidditch skills and caught his daughter while firing hex after hex at Bellatrix. She fought back savagely and after almost hitting her with a rather strong stunning curse Bellatrix decided to cut her losses. She made a rude gesture disapparated away.

Sirius stood in his living room in complete shock. He’d saved his daughter but his wife was dead. He knew if he stopped to think he would break down. So instead he walked swiftly to the fireplace, baby in arm, threw in some floo powder and disappeared in a wave of emerald flames.


	2. A Sad Beginning

Remus Lupin paced back and forth in his living room. He’d just heard the news and couldn't believe it! How could Sirius do such a thing? How could he betray Lily and James! How could they be dead? 

His fire place lit up in a wave of emerald flames and to his utter shock, out walked Sirius Black holding a laughing Amelia Michelle. His little goddaughter always did love to floo. The look on Sirius face was one of both anguish and fury. Remus didn't understand. Why was Sirius here? Did he think Remus wouldn't turn him in for the betrayal of two of their best friends? 

Before Remus had a chance to open his mouth or even raise his wand. Sirius was across the room and placed baby Amelia Michelle into his hands. With a look of utter sadness Sirius said three words and disappeared in a turn on the spot. "Keep her safe."

The next few weeks were a mess of utter confusion and grief. Remus spent his time learning how to take care of a baby. He was glad Amelia Michelle was such a strong baby. His little Mia Bell. Mia loved her uncle Remus and didn't cry for her mommy and daddy. Sometimes at night she would get a little fussy, but all he had to do was grab her Moony Bear (a small stuffed wolf Remus had given her when she was born) and sing her night night song, invented by her mommy and she would fall right to sleep. Remus would sit next to her bed while watching her sleep.  _ Sirius how could you do this. How could you leave her? _

The day after Halloween had been a day of celebration for the whole wizarding world. Voldemort was dead. It came out a few days later Sirius Black had caught up to Peter Pettegrew and killed him and a street full of muggles before being arrested and sent off to Azkaban. This made no sense to Lupin. Why did Sirius betray Lily and James, seek out Peter and killed him, but leave Lupin, alive? Lupin heard about the murder of Cassie. It didn't make any sense. Of course if Sirius had been a secret Death Eater this whole time like the media was suggesting. Falling in love with a muggle born i was a very shocking event. Unless of course the whole relationship had been a scam to make Sirius seem more trustworthy.

No! That couldn't be true. This was Sirius. The man who’d been Remus' best friend since he was Eleven! Even when it came out Remus was a werewolf, most men would disown him on the spot! But not Sirius and James. Sirius had been the one to suggest him and James become Animagus for him. That's right, Sirius Black, the boy-who-never-did-his-homework had suggested committing to the several year long practice of study and work that it would take to become an animagus. Just for Remus. He knew Sirius, at least he thought he did. But still, there was no way he’d been faking his love for Cassy. Perhaps one of his fellow Death Eaters killed her. Maybe Voldemort knew his most loyal follower loved the muggle born so he ordered someone to end her so Sirius would be more focused. That made sense. And that's why he dropped Mia Bell off with him. Death Eater or no Death Eater. Sirius loved his daughter and wanted her safe. And that was exactly what Remus was going to do. Or so he thought.

Two weeks. Two weeks was all the time they had together. Two weeks for the Ministry of Magic to sort through all the chaos that came with the fall of the Dark Lord before they remembered about the survival of Amelia Michelle Black. When the ministry remembered the daughter of one of The Dark Lord's most trusted servants was still alive and in the care of a werewolf, they immediately took action. So many of the werewolves had taken the side of Voldemort in the war, they didn't want to leave the girl in the hands of a man who’d raise her up in the ways of her father. It didn't matter if Lupin had been a member of the Order of the Phoenix and that Albus Dumbledore himself vouched for him. 

They wouldn't allow it. 

Two weeks after the death of the Potters and Cassandra Black, a witch from the ministry arrived on the doorstep with a roll of parchment and two Aurors. Remus answered the door with a baby bib thrown over one arm, a small jar of pulverized yams in hand and an impatient baby in the background winning for the rest of her lunch. To say he was surprised would be an understatement.

After a very heated argument where an auror got a face full of yams, Remus flooed off to Hogwarts in search of Dumbledore and the ministry official left with Baby Mia. There was nothing to be done. Dumbledore already fought for Remus' guardianship. Now it was left up to a committee at the Ministry. 

Lupin attended every hearing trying to persuade the committee to give him back his little girl but a week later, the morning after the next fool moon when a tired and ragged Remus entered the courtroom, the committee was decided. The Black child would not be going home with the werewolf. It took a few more meetings before a suitable home could be found. In the wizarding world of England, there was only one orphanage, usually, with such extensive family lines, there was always at least one family member to take in an orphaned child. But in Amelia Michelle's case, all her family were either convicted Death Eaters or dead. The only living relatives she had, not previously occupied were the Malfoys and the Tonks. The Malfoy family refused on the spot to take in the half muggleborn child, but Ted and Andromeda Tonks seriously considered taking her in. 

Andromeda was Sirius' cousin and loved him like a brother. He was the only other member of their family who refused to follow in the Blood Purist mentality. Or so she thought. Andromeda herself married a muggleborn wizard and they had a daughter a few years older than Amelia Michelle. They were going to take the girl in, but the day before they told the ministry, Andromeda's sister, Bellatrix, decided to pay them a house call. She hexed Ted and tried to go after their daughter Nymphadora but Andromeda managed to fight her off. It was then they decided perhaps Amelia Michelle would be safer among strangers rather than her own messed up family. It was a coward's excuse, but even with Voldemort gone it was still a fearful time for the family.

Finally, it was decided. The Black daughter would be sent to the orphanage. They began to make the arrangements when the unthinkable happened. The wizarding orphanage refused to take her. They didn't want to put the other children at risk (or themselves) by letting in the daughter of one of the most feared Death Eaters. Finally fed up, the ministry's committee decided it would be for the best to take her to a muggle orphanage. There were far more of those in the area and surely the girl would have much better odds growing up in a world where no one knew of her dreaded heritage. 

Remus tried with all his might to stop their decision. Surely the girl would be in better hands with him, her Godfather who loved her, rather than with a bunch of muggles! But nothing could be done.

A month after the death of her mother and the unknown wrongful imprisonment of her father. Amelia Michelle Black was placed on the doorstep of a muggle orphanage by a ministry witch. Wrapped in a blanket and placed in a basket, the young girl slept and waited to be discovered. The only identifying thing on her was a tag that read, Amelia Michelle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's that. Mia's back story in a nutshell. What do you think? Wishing already she had stayed with Remus? Yeah me too. Comment and let me know your feels.


	3. Mundane Existence

A flash of sparks.

A flying shiny gold ball.

Getting thrown up in the air and feeling a mixture of excitement and pure comfort knowing large strong arms will appear beneath to catch her.

A pet owl bringing the mail.

A kind man with wild grey eyes, transforming his face into a big black dog, licking her cheek and turning back into the kind man with a bark of laughter.

Entering into a fireplace filled with warm tickling emerald flames.

A battered and scarred man with kind eyes and light brown hair holding up a stuffed gray wolf, making it dance while he sings.

Flying through the sky on a motorbike.

Being held firmly in the arms of someone who loved her while being sung to sleep.

Knowing without a shadow of a doubt that she was loved and loved dearly.

These are the things ten year old Amelia Michelle sees in the back of her mind as she's waking up in the morning. The visions and images quickly fade as her mind leaves the dream world she so dearly loves and enters back into her mundane reality of loneliness. Mia sighed as the last of the make believe images faded from her conscience and opened her strikingly bright blue eyes. She knew the images were just nonsense, but they made her feel better.

She stepped out of the bottom bunk bed she shared with another girl, and walked down the hallway past other bunks towards the bathroom. It was still dark outside and none of the other girls were up yet. This was when Mia liked to wake up. 

Living in an orphanage you never had much time to yourself unless you were an early riser. The room she shared with the other girls had six double bunks in it, and right now only nine of the beds were filled. The boys dorm down the hall had eight bunks. With only three of the beds empty. There always seemed to be more boys in the orphanage than girls. Mia suspected it was because boys were usually meaner than girls so no one wanted to adopt them. Everyone always wanted to adopt the little girls. Except for her. There was also a room for the baby's. But the number was always changing. Most of them got adopted within a few months of being brought in. Most everyone in the orphanage was under the age of twelve except for the oldest boy. 

Bradley Jones was the biggest prat Mia had ever known. It was no wonder he’d been there for five years. Five years of hell for Mia It wasn't a surprise he couldn't get adopted. Most of the jerks who’d made their way through the orphanage were at least smart enough to suck up to the people who came to adopt them, but not Bradley. He would pick on the other kids and mostly Mia, even when potential parents were there looking.

Mia was the oldest girl, and she’d been there longer than anyone else. Most of the kids only spent a year or two before being adopted, but Mia had been living with the stamp of abandonment since she was just over a year old. That's how Mia knew her dreams couldn't be real. All of her dreams were filled with love and comfort. If she’d ever really had a family who loved her so much, why would they give her up? 

Mia finished cleaning her teeth and brushed out her long black hair. She wasn't an ugly child. On the contrary, most of the people who came looking to adopt always commented that she was a pretty little thing. With her light complexion, raven dark hair, and striking blue eyes it was very clear she would grow to be an attractive woman. 

She walked out of the bathroom, snuck down the hall and out the back door of the orphanage. They were located just out of town in a rural area and the kids had plenty of space to run. Along the left of the yard there was an old crumbling stone wall that separated the orphanages land from the neighbor, with a small creek running in between. This wall was Mia's destination for the morning. The top of the wall was just high enough up the only way you could reach her was if you started at a lower part and walked along the foot wide wall to reach her. The right side of the wall had grass just in case you fell, but on the left was a twenty foot drop onto the rocks lining the creek. Needless to say, when she was on the wall, none of the other kids dared to reach her. 

Mia loved to be in high places. Standing on the edge of the wall or climbing the tallest tree in the field just to read, or chat with the birds. She loved it. It made her feel safe being up so high out of reach where her only companions were the birds and an occasional cat. Bradley and a few of her other tormentors had learned this and started throwing rocks when they couldn't grab her and pull her down. Other times they would rat her out to Mrs. Hefner when she was somewhere dangerous.

If there was one thing Mrs. Hefner could not stand, it was a kid getting hurt because of their own stupidity. And as it just so happened Mia always seemed to be getting scraped up or banged up when she was out playing. Mia wasn't a tattle tail so she’d never admit the only reason she fell out of the tree the time she got a concussion was because Bradley had thrown a very large rock at her while she was reading and it hit her squarely in the head. She was a great climber and didn't want her guardian to think she couldn't take care of herself. She tried to explain the reason she wasn’t hurt aside from the bump on her head was because right before she hit the ground she seemed to hover for a moment before dropping lightly onto the grass. At hearing this Mrs. Hefner panicked and called the Doctor thinking the girl landed on her head.

Mia never worried about getting hurt or bruised. Her wounds always healed quicker than the other kids, much to Mrs. Hefner's confusion. The old stern woman wasn't a bad caretaker. She’d been working with children for almost forty years and it was in her opinion that knew all there was to know about children. Being a particularly peculiar child, Mia was Mrs. Hefner's greatest frustration.

She sat on the wall with her knees pulled to her chest gazing out into the warm summer morning. Unlike most kids, summer was Mia's least favorite time of the year. It meant no school. And no school meant Bradley and the other boys had more time to mess with her. She didn't understand. Why did she have to be different? Why couldn't she just act like the other kids and hide her flaws long enough to get adopted so she’d be free from this place? When Mia was little she couldn't help it. Weird stuff would just happen around her. Something up too high on a shelf would float down to her, or something would drop down and hit Bradley on the head when he was being a jerk, and sometimes when the kids started throwing rocks at her it was as if the air around her hardened and the rocks simply bounced away, sometimes even hitting the person who’d thrown it. 

Not to mention Mia could talk to animals. The other kids found this endlessly funny as they would mock her making barking or tweeting noises and then asking her to interpret. Mia had learned pretty quickly that talking to animals was not a thing little girls were supposed to do. But she couldn't ignore the birds who were the only friends she had, so she decided to only do it in secret. She just couldn't stop being who she was. She wanted to be normal but the pride inside the small orphan girl wouldn't let her be ashamed of who she was. Why did she have to be so different?

When Mia was a baby she’d almost been adopted a few times. The first time was just a few months after she’d been left at the orphanage. Apparently the Mr. and Mrs. who’d taken her home laid her down to sleep in her new crib and came back a few minutes later to see her stuffed animals dancing around her as she laughed. They brought her back to the orphanage before the night was even up. Six other times a family took her home to stay and brought her back within the week. The last time she’d been eight and she swore to herself she was not going to let anything unexplainable happen around her. She going to stay with the Johnsons and they were going to be her new parents… but the Johnsons had an older son who really didn't want his parents to have another kid and certainly didn't want a little sister to take away his parents’ attention.

After their first dinner as a family, Mia excitedly went to her new room to explore. The Johnson's kid followed her in and started saying mean things to her. Saying she was worthless and unwanted. Clearly her own parents didn't want her, and neither did he. He pushed her into a corner and started kicking and hitting her and Mia, not wanting to fight back and be sent back to the orphanage, crawled into a little ball and covered her head while he kicked her. Then suddenly there was a loud scream and Mia stayed cowered into her corner not looking up until she heard her new parents run into the room and Mrs. Johnson screamed. Mia uncovered her head and saw the boy hanging upside down in the middle of the room, a horrified look on his face as he yelled and cried for someone to let him down.

When Mia saw this she was instantly startled and let go of that feeling inside of her that she felt sometimes when bad things happened around her. Just then the Johnson boy fell to the ground and his mother scooped him up into her arms. Mia went over to her bed and grabbed her small suitcase holding her few belongings she hadn't even unpacked, and walked to the front door of the house. It only took a minute for Mr. Johnson to appear and drag her outside. He didn't say a word as he drove her back to the orphanage.

When they brought her back that time, Bradley was waiting in the yard with a stop watch. He snickered as she walked teary eyed back to Mrs. Hefner's office as he made rude comments to remind her how worthless she really was. 

Mia started to think maybe she really was unwanted and worthless. She swore to herself the next time would be better. The next time would be better. The next time would be better… If there was a next time. But now she was older, all a potential parent had to hear was how old she was and how long she’d been there and they knew there was probably something wrong with her.

Mia heard Mrs. Hefner yelling out the back door for her. "Amelia Michelle! You get back in here for breakfast! And you better not be up on that wall again!" Mia looked up startled. She hadn't realized she’d been out so long. She jumped down from the ten foot wall, a feat she completed easily but would have given Mrs. Hefner a heart attack. Mia ran back inside the boring house, where she wished for something exciting and wonderful to happen and take her away from this mundane existence.

Little did she know, the man standing unseen near the tree line, his warm eyes and scarred face watching her, was also wishing he could take her away and back to a place she was loved. The tired and worn man sighed as his Goddaughter ran back inside. The full moon the night before had been a rough one and all he wanted was to scoop his Mia Bell into his arms and forget about all his troubles. She would be going to school soon. He knew she’d be getting her letter. He’d seen her use magic as a baby, and even once or twice while he’d been watching at the orphanage. Yes, she’d get her letter soon. Maybe once she was back in his world it would be easier to find a legitimate way to be in her life.

The wolfish man gave a weak smile and disappeared with a turn and a loud crack. Soon, he hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now you know Mia. What do you think? Think she will fit in well at Hogwarts? Comment and let me know.


	4. An Unexpected Guest

Mia was sitting in her favorite tree in the field behind the orphanage. She was happy because the church down the road that sometimes came and did activities with the orphans had come by to take all the boys to play football. That meant Mia had an entire Bradley free day. She started her day of freedom by taking her time eating breakfast. No Bradley meant she didn't have to worry about getting her juice dumped on her head. After breakfast she grabbed her most recent library book 'Chemistry for beginners' and headed out to her tree. She loved to learn, and found it fascinating how elements worked together. She sat up in her tree for a few hours, reading and chatting with a starling, trying to explain to the small bird how water was really made up of tiny molecules… The bird didn't get it. Starlings made fine company but they weren't the smartest animals out there. 

As Mia gave up on the small creature and went back to her book, a very peculiar old woman arrived to the orphanage on the other side of the house unseen by the oblivious girl.

Mrs. Hefner had been having quite the wonderful morning. The boys were out of the house, all of the baby's were happy and accounted for being taken care of by the nannies, and all the girls were outside playing in the yard. That meant that Mrs. Hefner had the afternoon to herself. She planned to drink her tea in the quiet and empty sitting room while she read her latest romance novel. Just as she settled down into her favorite comfy chair, there was a knock at the door. 

Now, who could that be? She didn't have any potential parents scheduled to come today. It was probably just one of the girls playing an annoying game or something. Mrs. Hefner took a deep breath to relax and looked back to her book. 

_Nock Nock Nock_. 

There it was again!

Slightly frustrated Mrs. Hefner stood up and walked to the door. She took a deep breath putting a fake smile on her face before she opened the door. The person standing on the other side was definitely not what she was expecting. Instead of a foolish child or a young couple looking for a foolish child, Mrs. Hefner was looking into the face of a very stern woman who appeared to be quite a bit older than herself. Suddenly remembering her manners she picked her smile back up. "May I help you?"

The old woman smiled thinly and stuck out her hand. "Yes Ma'am. My name is Minerva McGonagall. I am the Deputy Headmistress of a very elite private school. I was wondering if I might have a moment of your time to discuss one of your wards."

Mrs. Hefner was a bit shocked at the woman's speech and it took her a moment too long to reach out and shake the other woman's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Come in, come in. Would you like some tea Mrs. McGonagall?"

"Professor McGonagall. And yes I would thank you." Mrs. Hefner walked to the sitting room with the Professor following her. 

This woman was from an elite private school? What could she possibly want with one of her wards? Maybe one of the children had rich relatives Mrs. Hefner wasn't aware of and now they were wanting to take command of their long lost nephews schooling. And maybe they would like to thank Mrs. Hefner for her kindness and make a generous donation to the school. But which of the children still had family?

Mrs. Hefner led the Professor into the sitting room, her manners back in full force. "If you would please have a seat _Professor,_ I will be right out with your tea." Mrs. Hefner quickly bustled away to the kitchen to put the pot back on the stove while she thought of all the possible outcomes the arrival of the mysterious professor could have for her. The woman certainly had a commanding look about her. A very stern mouth and well kept hair. But her clothes? A bit odd. She was sort of wearing a funny green dress with a very long cloak. Oh well. Working for such an established private school she probably made loads of money, and the rich always did dress slightly off, in her opinion.

Minerva sighed as she waited in the muggle sitting room. It was one of her favorite things to do every summer, when she got to take acceptance letters to the muggle born families and explain to the oblivious parents their child they always thought was a little different was, in fact, a witch or wizard. But retrieving this girl was a different task and was difficult for a few reasons. For starters given the woman she’d just met was not the girl's family, Minerva would be unable to disclose particular information to the women, and considering the excited look the woman had given Minerva when she spoke of a well established school, he was sure the other woman would be rather curious. 

But that wasn't the only factor that would make this difficult. When Minerva told a child and their parents about the wizarding world it was an exciting discussion. Telling the child about all the things that made their world so grand was wonderful. But with the little girl she was about to meet, telling the full story would not be a happy time. Surely the girl will ask of her family. How else would she be a witch if not of from her parents? And how could she avoid telling the little girl of her family, and their past? 

But she had to know. Minerva couldn't send that girl into the wizarding world without warning. Her father was one of the most feared supporters of the Dark Lord, locked away in a fearsome prison, sentenced to spend the rest of his days in misery for mass murder. Oh, she just felt so frazzled by the whole situation. Even she had been fooled all those years ago into believing the eldest Black son was different from his family. More than a little vexing, but a good soul none the less. Minerva just had to keep it together for the girl who's world she was about to change.

Minerva rubbed her worrying head as the bustling woman re-entered with a tray full of tea things and promptly made her guest a cup. Minerva took the tea and put her full attention on Mrs. Hefner as she sat down. "Thank you for your hospitality Mrs. Hefner. Now the matter I wished to discuss with you is rather important. One of the children under your care is going to be of age to attend the school I am employed with this fall. Her name was put down in our books the day she was born, and although she has no family to claim her, her identity is still known to us and it is my job to make sure she is in attendance this fall." Mrs. Hefner was looking even more surprised and was still rather speechless point so Minerva continued. 

"Now, I’ve already made all the arrangements. I will take the child with me today and take her shopping for her school supplies. Our school is very particular about the necessary equipment required. Don't worry, funds for her schooling have already been set aside. After we have gathered everything she needs I will bring her back here to be placed back in your care until the start of term on September first. I already have her ticket for the train and have arranged transportation from here to Kings Cross. I also have the paperwork from the ministry releasing the child into the school’s custody. After her departure on September first she will be a ward of the school and your care will no longer be required. Does that sound like an acceptable plan to you?"

Minerva had finished speaking but Mrs. Hefner looked no where ready to respond. Minerva sighed and took a sip of her tea. Grimacing at the flavor she set the tea down and stood up. "I don't suppose you could take me to see the child now, could you?"

Finally finding her voice Mrs. Hefner asked the only question she could think. "What is the child's name?

"Amelia Michelle"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Intro McGonagall. What do you think? I've always wondered how different getting your letter from McGonagall would have been from Hagrid. <3


	5. Taxi

Mia was completely absorbed in her book. The fact that the tree she was sitting in was actually made up of billions of tiny particles that were constantly moving and only felt solid to her because of the attraction they had to each other was completely fascinating. It's almost as if they were held together by magic, if such a thing really existed. She was so engrossed in her book she didn't hear Mrs. Hefner calling her name out the back door. She also didn't see her walk outside followed by a stern looking older woman and stop to ask one of her classmates where she was. 

It wasn't until Mrs. Hefner and the strange woman were standing below the tree and Mrs. Hefner's panicked voice called up to her that she came out of her learning coma. 

"AMELIA MICHELLE!" Mia jumped several inches in the air, which was a dangerous reaction given she was at least twenty feet up a tree. "Get out of that tree this instant before you break your neck!"

Seeing the new woman Mia's heart sank. What if this woman had come to adopt her? Seeing her in the tree being a tomboy would make her change her mind. This stern looking woman didn't look like the kind to approve tree climbing. Tucking the front of her blouse into her ripped up pants, Mia slipped the book she was reading down the front of her shirt so she would have her hands free for the climb. Usually, she’d just toss the book down, but given her luck she’d probably hit Mrs. Hefner in the head, and then she would be in real trouble.

Mia began her climb down the tree, expertly grabbing each branch and placing each foot in the proper place. Sometimes a small branch would get caught on one of the large holes in the knee of her jeans but she was able to unhook it before the hole got bigger. As she neared the bottom the book slipped from her shirt and thumped to the grass.

"How many times have I told you not to climb that blasted tree! If you fall it would be the death of me!" Not wanting to make a worst first impression to the new woman Mia bit back the retort that it was her as the child that her guardian should be worried about. She jumped the last five feet and landed gracefully on the ground trying not to smile at the gasp of horror her guardian let out. 

Once safely on the ground Mia bowed her head in submission and spoke humbly to her guardian. "I am truly sorry for disobeying your orders, Madam Hefner. I will try to be more obedient in the future."

"Yes well, I'm sure it will happen again. Either way, you won't be my problem much longer." Mrs. Hefner said the last bit mostly to herself but her words didn't escape Mia's sharp ears. She looked up hopefully at the new woman. "This is Professor McGonagall, she is here to offer you a place at the school where she’s employed." Mrs. Hefner looked less than thrilled, but Mia was glowing with excitement. She knew all her hard studying would pay off. Maybe this was even a boarding school meaning she’d get to leave the orphanage for nine months out of the year.

Wanting to make the best first impression possible regardless of her ratty attire and bruised and dirtied knees, Mia crossed her legs and gave an incredibly graceful and elegant curtsy for an orphaned girl of ten. "It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Madame." She looked up into the face of the Professor and saw the stern looking woman's thin mouth turn up at the edges in a smile as her eyes twinkled in mirth.

"And it's a pleasure to meet you young lady." The woman reached out her hand and a look of horror crossed Mia's face.

"Sorry Professor, but my hands are a little covered in tree sap, I don't think you want to shake them." Mia looked down in shame. Who would ever want to adopt a girl like her?

"Oh don't fret young one. Sap is nothing to be afraid of. It could be much worse after all." She smiled warmly handing Mia back her book. "I believe you dropped this. Chemistry, a very advanced subject for one as young as you. I'm rather impressed." Mia looked back up with hope and took her book. "Now, Miss Amelia, I'm sure you are curious as to why I’m here. I represent a very prestigious school and would like to offer you a place to further your education at the same school your parents attended at your age."

Mia looked up with shock at the mention of her parents. "M-my parents, Professor?"

"Yes dear, it's a rather long story, one I would be happy to tell you after we handle some business first. So, would you like to attend your parent's alma mater?"

Mia didn't have to think. "Yes." She’d been waiting for ages to here even a word about her parents.

"Good, very good! We will be off then." the woman started walking back to the orphanage as she got down to business with the plan. "As soon as you've washed up we will head out to go shopping for your school things. Mrs. Hefner, if you would be so kind as to call a taxi for us. Once we have everything you need I will bring you back here where you will spend the rest of the summer until the beginning of term." She stopped now and crouched down to look at the young girl in her eyes. "Does that sound good to you?"

"Yes ma'am." This time Mia spoke with a smile on her face.

"Good. Then go get washed up before the taxi gets here." Mia bolted down the hall to escape to her room. She grabbed her nicest pair of Jeans and one of the shirts she would wear to church and ran into the bathroom. After scrubbing all the tree sap off of her hands and brushing her hair, she braided her long black hair back in a french braid and tied it off with one of her favorite blue ribbons she’d received last year as one of her annual secret sender birthday presents. Looking at herself in the mirror she thought she looked pretty. Satisfied with her hair she ran to her room and tied on her trainers. She rushed to the door of her shared room and paused to collect herself. She walked calmly down the hall back into the front entrance where she saw Professor McGonagall Waiting by a taxi for her. "Are you ready to go my dear?"

Mia nodded and walked towards the car as The Professor allowed her to slide in first. Then the Professor climbed in the car and told the driver to take them to a street in London Mia had never heard of. As they drove down the road a horrifying thought popped into Mia's head. "Um, Professor? You said we’re going to buy my school supplies, is that correct?"

"Yes, my dear it is." Mia grimaced as she realized she didn't have any money. What would Professor McGonagall say?  _ Oh sorry, my dear. I suppose this means you won't be able to come to school now. Driver if you would turn around.  _ But she had to already known she was poor. Surely she doesn't think an orphan like her would have money for books?

"But Professor, I don't actually have any money. I'm sorry to waste your time but I'm not sure how I could pay for school."

"Oh my dear, don't you worry about it. You don't think your family would have left you with nothing do you?" Professor McGonagall looked gently to the girl sitting next to her.

"Honestly, Professor, I don't know what my family would have done. You're the first person I've ever met who’s claimed to even know who they are." Mia wanted answers. She was a very inquisitive person but Mrs. Hefner always hated it when she asked questions. Rather than give up on her questions she usually found other ways to get her answers out of people asking indirect questions. This method usually worked on Mrs. Hefner, but something told Mia Professor McGonagall was much brighter and wasn't likely to fall for such things.

"My dear, I know you must have many questions rolling around inside of you, and I promise to answer as many as I can eventually, but I must ask you to respect me when I say there are some things I can, and some things I cannot tell you. Partially because some things you need to know, I'm not the person to tell them to you, and partially because I don't know all the answers myself. Honestly, there's just so much that I need to tell you, I just don't know where to start." 

Minerva was lost. Should she start by telling her she was a witch or by telling her about her parents? She couldn't talk to her about magic with the cab driver in hearing, but at the same time her parents’ story wouldn't really make any scene without knowing about magic. She just felt so frazzled by the situation. She knew this brave little girl must have felt lost and Minerva wasn't making it any easier on her with all of her ramblings and misplaced thoughts.

"Please Professor, my parents. Who were they?" The look on the little girl's face was heartbreaking. She had to tell her something. So she would start at the beginning, being vague enough not to draw the attention to the cab driver who was listening to some muggle sports game on the radio.

"Your mother's name was Cassandra Montgomery. I taught her and your father when they were in school. Your mother was one of the brightest students in her house and she truly loved to learn. She had long light brown hair and the most beautiful blue eyes I’ve ever seen, exactly like yours. Your father was a man by the name of Sirius Black. Him and his friends were quite the pranksters back in their school days. I put him in detention more times than I can remember. Your Mother and father were complete opposites, but alas towards the end of their schooling they fell in love, and a few years after graduation were married, and then you came along not long after that. Amelia Michelle Black. That's your name." Minerva stopped for a moment and looked down at the young girl. She gently brushed a tear away from her beautiful blue eyes.

"Then what happened to them?" 

Minerva let out a sigh and looked out the car window. This would be the hard part to explain.

"You must understand first. Ten years ago our world was a much different place. There was an evil man who was trying to take over our whole world. He had many followers and they killed many people. It was a hard and scary time. But there was a group, an Order that formed to stop this man. They fought a long time, but finally, when you were just a year old they succeeded in destroying this dark man, although the win came at a great cost. Many amazing people died."

"And my parents died in this war." It wasn't really a question, but Minerva was about to respond anyways when the cab driver interrupted her.

"All right, we're here. That will be thirty five pounds"

Minerva pulled out her purse and started trying to sort through the bills in her hand muttering to herself quietly. "Darn muggle money." Finally pulling out some bills she handed them to the driver and her and Mia exited the cab.

Mia wasn't exactly sure where she was. They were on a street with shops on either side of them, but directly in front was a small dirty looking pub that those passing by didn't even seem to notice. The sign over the door read "The Leaky Caldron" in peeling paint. The Professor grabbed Mia's hand and led her to the door of the shady pub. She turned to Mia and spoke firmly. "Alright now keep close to me. What you are about to see might seem a little confusing, but trust me when I say I will explain everything to you until it makes sense. We just need to find a quiet place away from the muggles to talk for a few minutes. Sound good?" Without waiting for a response the Professor pushed open the door to the small pub and pulled Mia inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now Mia steps into the magical world again. How will she react? <3


	6. Diagon Alley

The pub was rather dark and shabby. There was a light layer of smoke hanging in the air coming from a few old women smoking in the corner. The pub itself was fascinating to look at, Mia had never seen so many bottles filled with strange colored liquid in her life and wondered if some of the more exotic colored ones were poisonous. Even more interesting than the pub were the people who filled it. There were strange looking people of all shapes and sizes, sitting around playing cards or drinking. One short man in a bowler hat seemed to be losing a game of chess with a tall old woman with stringy gray hair, a man in a turban was standing near the fireplace gazing into the flames. Just then the man tending the bar looked up and spotted the Professor. "Ah! Minerva! What a pleasure. Is there something I can get you?"

"Perhaps a private room, Tom? I just need to finish up a conversation I was having with one of my students before we head into Diagon Alley."

"O'course! Come right this way." The balding bartender led them up a set of stairs to a small room with a few chairs surrounding a fireplace. "If there's anything I can get you just ask."

"Thank you Tom. Perhaps a few butter beers if you have them." Tom nodded and exited the small room. "All right, now where were we? Oh yes. I was telling you about your parents. Now listen Amelia, There are a few pieces of the story I left out."

"Yes Professor, I wanted to ask about that. You said my parents were fighting a war, but there haven't been any wars that England’s been a part of in a long time! And who is this evil man you spoke of? Hitler died long before I was born so I know that can't be it." After having a few minutes it took to walk through the bar to think about the story the Professor told her, Mia started to believe it less and less.

"Yes well, I was getting to that." The Professor looked stern from being interrupted but her gaze softened before she continued. "Please forgive me; there was much that I needed to tell you, that I couldn't with that cab driver listening in. So for starters how about, I finally give you this." The Professor handed Mia a thick envelope made out of strange paper. Not paper, parchment. Mia looked it over in her hand reading the address written on the front in emerald green letters addressed to Miss A. M. Black, The third bunk from the left, Hopetown Orphanage, London. Mia pulled out the letter and read.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Scor., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Og Wizards)

Dear Miss Black,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31st.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

The second page was a list of things required and Mia was surprised to see it listing things such as spell books, wizard robes, a caldron, and even a wand. Wizardry? What was Mia getting into? This couldn't be real; it must all be one big joke. But the look on the Professor's face didn't show any humor. "I don't think I understand, Professor."

"Don't understand? Well, I think it would have been pretty self explanatory. You're a witch! I'm a witch, your mother was a witch, and your father was a wizard.  _ This _ is your world. Not that world you've been living in with all those muggles." Seeing the confused look on Mia's face, the Professor continued. "A Muggle is a non magical person. That Mrs. Hefner is a muggle, and our cab driver was a muggle, that's why I couldn't enplane any of this better with them listening. You see it's very important that we keep our world secret from the muggles, otherwise they would be constantly asking for magical favors or the like." Just then the bald bartender opened the door carrying a tray with two bottles on it. He popped the caps off and set them on the table.

"If there's anything else ya need Minerva feel free to ask." Tom scooted back out the door, closing it behind him.

Mia decided to take the distraction as an opportunity and took a sip of her drink as she thought about what the Professor said. As the amber liquid ran down her throat she felt warmth spread through her body, calming her slightly. "So if the magical world was at war then that explains why the muggles never knew about it. So then this evil man you spoke of, he was a wizard, wasn't he? What was his name?"

Minerva winced at the question. "Yes, the wizarding world was at war. You know you are a very bright young girl. Your mother would have been proud." Minerva smiled sadly.

"Anyway, just as there are good people and bad people, there are also good wizards and bad wizards. And before you were born there was a man who was a very bad wizard. Now I'm going to tell you his name, because frankly, you need to know it, but you also need to know people in our world do not use this man's name. He was very evil and killed a lot of people so people were very frightened of him, so frightened in fact most people refuse to say his name still to this day."

"But what was his name?" Mia asked impatiently.

"All right, so his name was... Voldemort. Now as I told you before. The Dark Lord gathered a group of followers around himself, and those followers were known as Death Eaters. You see in the magical world just as in the non magical there are politics. And in the magical world, there is a group of people who believe the magical purity of someone's blood makes them better than others. Meaning if someone were to descend from a long line of wizards they would be considered a pure blood, and on the other side, sometimes there are children born to muggle families who have magic in their blood, and these kids are called muggle born. You for example are a half blood. Your father was a pure blood descended from a very old line of wizards, and your mother was born from a muggle family. There's absolutely no shame in being a muggle born, but You-know-who decided there was. He made it his mission to take over the wizarding world and enslave the muggle world. Does all of that make sense?"

Mia hadn't even taken another sip of her butterbeer; she’d been too wrapped up in the Professor's story. She nodded to let The Professor know she understood everything and the old professor smiled. "I know it's a lot to understand all at once but hopefully it will all make sense eventually. Come now. We need to buy your school supplies before it gets too late."

Mia followed the Professor down the stairs and past the barman as she paid him, and then out the back door into a tiny alleyway filled with nothing but a trash can and some weeds. Mia thought perhaps the Professor had taken them through the wrong door and was about to say something when Professor McGonagall pulled out a stick from the folds of her cloak and began counting the bricks on the wall. Suddenly Mia realized this was a wand and she got extremely excited hoping to see some magic. The Professor started tapping the bricks on the wall and before Mia knew what was happening the bricks started sliding and jumping around until they formed an archway big enough for the two witches to walk through. What Mia saw next made her stop and stare in awe. "Welcome Miss Amelia, to Diagon Alley."

Mia looked up at The Professor and smiled. As they stepped into the busy market place Mia was overwhelmed with the sights all around her. There were shops filled with odd plants, shops full of barrels of gross slimy things with signs that read things like 'Dragon Liver', shops full of all different types of cauldrons, copper, brass, pewter, and even self-stirring. There were so many things to look at that Mia almost walked into several people but Professor McGonagall managed to pull her out of the way in time. 

The people she saw where even more interesting than the people back in the stuffy pub. She saw witches and wizards in funny clothes, kids her age buying books and potions ingredients, she even saw a man about three times the size of anyone else in the streets, carrying a snowy white owl in a cage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Catch that little easter egg at the end there? <3


	7. School Supplies

Before she knew it Mia was standing in front of an enormously large white building. They walked up to the large bronze doors. McGonagall held the door for her. Inside was a long marble counter with hundreds of scary little creatures sitting on tall stools behind it. The creatures were doing things like scribbling in large ledgers, and weighing coins on brass scales. The Professor clearly didn't seem surprised at the sight of these strange monsters so Mia took her cue and pretended not to notice their sharp teeth and long pointed fingers. Professor McGonagall walked straight up to one of the first goblins at the counter and announced that Miss Amelia Black wished to make a withdrawal from her vault. The scary banker looked at her accusingly when he heard her name, but then the look disappeared and he asked if she had her key. Professor McGonagall handed over a small gold key.

"Follow me, please." The banker walked from around the desk and down a long corridor. He kept walking as the white marble corridor became a dark cave and gestured for them to get in a cart. Professor McGonagall told her to hold on tightly as the cart took off, spinning and looping unnecessarily, moving so fast Mia couldn't see anything around her except for blackness and the occasional flash of light. Finally, they stopped close to a ledge and a slightly green professor helped Mia climb out of the cart. The banker walked over to a vault door set in the side of the cave wall and opened the door standing aside to allow the witches to enter.

Professor McGonagall explained all about wizarding money to Mia, she told her how 17 sickles equals a Galleon and 29 Knuts equals a Sickle. After helping her put the amount of gold she would need for her supplies and a little extra for spending money for the year into a bag they climbed back into the cart and Professor McGonagall explained while she covered her eyes so as to not get too dizzy that Mia's family was rich. Coming from such an old line as the Black's and being the heir to the Black legacy all of the Black family's wealth would be hers. The only money she had access to right now was a fund set aside for her schooling, but the rest of the fortune would become hers on her seventeenth birthday.

Exiting the bank and stepping back into the crowded street, Mia asked a question that had been eating at her for a while. "So is all of my family really dead? Am I the last one left?"

Minerva sighed. "Not exactly." She led Mia over to a small diner and ordered them some lunch before she continued. It took her a while but eventually, the Professor explained about her family. Most of her family had been blood purists and were known or suspected death eaters. She had a few second cousins still alive, one was in Azkaban, one was married and had a son her age, and one was a good and loving woman named Andromeda. Then Minerva continued to explain the hardest part of the story. She told Mia how her father had been a trusted member of the Order of the Phoenix for years, but in the end it came out he was a Death Eater and one of the Dark Lord's most loyal followers. She said she didn't know too many of the details but he was also sentenced to life in Azkaban.

This was too much for Mia, finding out she did still have living relatives but all of them where blood purists or murderers. She’d been asking the question for years, who was she? But now after all these years to find out she was the daughter of one of the most dangerous and feared men alive? She wanted to take it back, take back finding out the truth. 

Professor McGonagall put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Amelia, the actions of your family do not dictate the path you must take. You are your own person. Don't let the people of your past decide who you will be. It is your choice to follow after them or to carve a new path for yourself. Use the knowledge of your past as a weapon and walk boldly into your future. Alright?"

Mia nodded. She’d always prided herself on being a brave person. The only times she ever backed down from a challenge was when she knew fighting was the wrong choice and would only cause more trouble. She did have one more question on her mind though. "Professor? What were those  _ things _ at the bank." Professor McGonagall bent her head back and laughed one of her rare deep laughs.

They’d been wandering the market for hours, talking and buying everything Mia would need for school. Not only did she need the listed supplies, but there were lots of other things she would need when she left the orphanage like toothpaste and spare pajamas. Many of the people they passed knew the professor and would wish her a good day, adding on a smile to Mia when they saw her with the professor.

For her school robes, they entered a fancy shop called Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. When they entered the shop a kind looking witch came out from behind a row of cloaks. "Another one for Hogwarts, dear? Oh, Professor! What a pleasure! Bringing another young student for her robes then?"

"Oh yes Dotty, Miss Amelia here will be needing a full set of robes and school uniform." Professor McGonagall ushered Mia forward to the short witch. Madam Malkin gestured for Mia to step onto a raised platform as she slipped a long black robe over her head. "Amelia if you don't mind I will just be over here browsing the hats." And with that Professor McGonagall walked away leaving Mia in the hands of the short witch as she began pinning up her hem line.

"So, Amelia is it? Tell me, what is your last name so that I can have the labels sewn into your robes. Oh, stand up straight there! Don't want your hem to be crooked."

Mia felt awkward as the witch pinned up her robes. Shed never had a last name before and wanted to take pride in it. But was that a bad thing given what her family represented? "My last name is Black."

Madam Malkin stopped what she was doing. "Black did you say?" She peered at the young girl's face and a look of recognition flashed through her face. "T-Tell me, What was your father's name?" Mia noticed the slight fear in the woman's voice and wasn't going to answer but it didn't matter. "Minerva? Minerva!" Professor McGonagall ran over at the seamstress call. "Minerva, why on earth would you bring  _ his _ daughter into my shop? You know how I feel about  _ those people _ ! I will not have one of  _ them _ in my shop!"

The look on Professor McGonagall's face told the short witch she was in dangerous territory, and she stopped speaking immediately. "How dare you prejudice yourself against one of my students who has never done a thing against you? I thought you were a more sensible woman than that. Blaming someone for the sins of their family is an incredibly ignorant thing to do. You don't see me blaming you for your great uncle being a Death Eater. He's in Azkaban as well is he not? And didn't I see the Malfoys walk out of here earlier with their son? We are here to buy robes and if you refuse our money than say the word now and we will leave. If not I expect you to finish up my student’s robes so we can go and get her school books." Professor McGonagall finished her speech with a death glare that made the short woman sink even lower into the ground.

Madam Malkin turned back around and finished up pinning the garment without another look at either the Professor or Mia. When she was finished she pulled the robe off of Mia and told her they could come back in half hour and everything would be ready. Mia paid the woman and left the shop following a steamed professor back out into the street.

Professor McGonagall put a smile back on her face and turned to Mia. "I'm afraid you will just have to get used to reactions like that. It’s a shame yes, but that is just the lot you have been stuck with." 

Mia lowered her gaze. It seemed the magical world she’d entered was even more confusing than the one she’d just left. "Cheer up my dear. You will just have to prove them all wrong with your actions and show the magical world how amazing you really are. It will take some work, but if you're anything like your mother, or even your father, I know you will do great things in your future."

With that the professor turned and led Mia into a shop that seemed to sell things like quills and parchment. When they bought her trunk, Professor McGonagall added a weightless charm and a hover charm to make it easier to carry. Mia was fascinated by the use of magic, and as they bought the rest of her heavy school supplies, they simply piled it all into her trunk.

For her school books, they entered a store called 'Flouris and Blotts'. Mia spotted a book she had a feeling would help her understand the wizarding world a bit better. 'What every muggleborn needs to know about magic' was sitting on a shelf to Mia's left. Professor McGonagall argued that she wasn't a muggleborn and didn't need the book, but Mia pointed out she was raised her whole life in the muggle world, it just made sense. Mia won the argument and added that book plus a few others she thought would help give her important information she knew she was lacking, to her already long book list. A few of her extra books she bough where 'Hogwarts: a History', 'The rise and fall of the dark arts; expanded addition', and '1001 famous wizards and their accomplishments', she even added a book on a sport called Quidditch that apparently was  _ very _ popular in this new world.

After all their shopping and all the extra books, Mia's new trunk was already too full to close. Professor McGonagall made Mia promise not to tell anyone and she put a few internal expanding charms on it to give her plenty more room. She also added a few protection charms and a memory print charm so Mia would be the only one able to open the lid so none of the other kids at the orphanage would 'accidentally' discover her spell books. She also told Mia if she planned to read her school books to make sure to leave the dust covers off the books so none of the other kids would notice the strange titles to her books. Mia didn't really think that was much of an issue given most of the other orphans didn't really care what Mia did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment and let me know what you think <3


	8. Introductions

As Mia was reading back over her acceptance letter and supplies list, to make sure she had everything she needed, she realized a part she didn't understand. "Professor, what does it mean by 'we await your owl?’"

"Oh yes, how silly of me." Professor McGonagall led Mia over to a building with a sign that simply read 'Owl Post.' The professor explained to Mia owls were what wizards used to carry their mail. As they entered the shop, she explained the owls in this post office were color coded depending on how far the bird had to travel and how fast you wanted the message delivered. Just then a tall skinny wizard appeared around one of the many perches filled with owls. He asked if he could help them with anything and pulling out a small piece of parchment the Professor scrawled a note on it and handed it to the man. "Yes, sir, delivery to Hogwarts. No rush."

"Yes Professor, not a problem." The wizard took down a small tawny owl and tied the letter to the owl's leg and it took off through the window. "Is that all you’d be needing? Just 8 knuts." Professor McGonagall counted out the coins and paid the man and they left the shop.

Finally, the last thing on her list she needed was a wand. They’d stopped by the old shop called Ollivanders: Makers of fine wands since 382 B.C., but the first time they walked by the small shop, it seemed too crowded so they decided to come back after they did some other shopping. This time when they walked past, the shop seemed empty so Professor McGonagall told Mia to go on in while she waited outside, she seemed distracted by a wizard standing by the robes shop, but Mia was so excited to get her wand she ran inside without a second thought.

The shop certainly was small, or at least it seemed small since the entire shop was filled with hundreds and hundreds of long skinny boxes. Just then an old grey haired man came out from behind some boxes and peered at Mia. "Ahhh Miss Black. Imagine seeing you here! This has been a memorable day to be sure." Mia was taken a little off guard by this strange man, but she was at least relieved he seemed to know her name and was fine with her heritage. "I suppose you will be wanting a wand! You know I sold your mother and father their wants. Your mother's wand was ten and one half inches holly with a unicorn hair core. Your father's was twelve inches redwood, with a dragon scale core. Very powerful wand. Now let's see what it shall be for you."

Just then a small tape measure jumped up and began measuring every bit of Mia as she looked on in wonder as the old man pulled down box after box. When the tape measure was finished measuring her nose the wild eyed old man started putting sticks in her hand and muttering about phoenix feathers and unicorn hair. Sometimes he would have her wave the wand, sometimes he would just place one in her hand and then immediately take it out shaking his head again. 

It started to get a little boring and Mia's mind started to drift. She looked out the window and saw Professor McGonagall talking with a wizard. No, she saw Professor McGonagall arguing with a wizard. The man looked to be in his 30s or so but had too much grey hair mixed into his light brown hair and his clothes looked quite baggy on him. Mia knew she hadn't met him before, but still, there was something familiar about him. They were arguing heatedly and although Mia couldn't hear them she knew they were talking about her as the wizard kept gesturing towards the shop.

Suddenly Mr. Ollivander cried out with excitement, Mia looked back to see she was holding a long wand that was a faint red color. "Yes, yes I have found it. Should have know, so much like your father you are. It is twelve and one half inches Redwood with a dragon scale core. Very powerful that wand is. Most dragon wands use a heart string but occasionally one will contain a scale. Much more powerful and only suitable for a strong witch or wizard. Yes, very powerful indeed. Use it well, use it well." Mr. Ollivander boxed her wand back up for her, and she paid him and quickly left the store in hopes of catching part of Professor McGonagall's argument with the familiar looking wizard.

"It's my  _ rite _ Minerva!" The wizard stopped talking the moment Mia stepped out of the shop into the street. Mia walked up to them as they tried to pretend they hadn't been arguing.

"Ah Miss Amelia, did you get a suitable wand?" Professor McGonagall looked flustered.

"Yes Professor, I did. Thank you." Mia looked up at the new wizard hoping for an introduction and saw the most peculiar look on his face as he looked back at her. His face was covered in thin scratches like scars and his eyes looked tired but there was something hidden behind the apparent exhaustion. Sadness and longing was there as well, but through all the mixed emotions was a look of hope, and something else Mia had only ever seen in a dream and couldn't quite remember. A sudden silence passed between the group, but it wasn't an awkward silence, it was as if the young witch and the tired wizard were absorbing each other's presence. This was broken by Professor McGonagall.

"Um, Miss Amelia, this is Professor Lupin. He is an old student of mine. Lupin, this is one of my new first year students who I have been taking shopping for her school supplies."

"You're a Professor? Do you teach at Hogwarts, Professor Lupin?" Mia spoke quickly wanting to get as much information out of this familiar man as she could before Professor McGonagall managed to end the conversation and take her away.

"Oh, sadly no Miss Black, I don't teach at Hogwarts, although it is my dream to one day." Professor McGonagall tightened her grip on Mia's trunk and prepared to walk away.

"Yes well, hopefully, one day you will get that opportunity, though of course that decision will be left up to Professor Dumbledore. Well if you will excuse us, Professor, I should be taking Miss Amelia back home shortly. Good day." Professor McGonagall had one hand on the trunk and her other hand wrapped around Mia's hand and turned back around half dragging Mia down the alley towards the Leaky Cauldron. Mia almost tripped a few times as she kept looking back over her shoulder at the tired wizard standing in the street, un moving, watching her being led away. Mia knew it wasn't even worth asking Professor McGonagall about the strange Professor, she knew she wouldn't tell her anything and would deny any argument having been about her. But Mia knew it was about her, it just had to have been. For starters, the Professor had looked so familiar, but Mia just couldn't figure out why. And also, if they hadn't been talking about her, then why did the wizard know her last name was Black? Professor McGonagall had only referred to her by her first name. And sure the wandmaker had known her name, but this was different. She just knew it.

Remus Lupin stood in the street as he watched his whole world being taken away from him for the second time in his life. He had to do something. He had sworn to protect her and just watching from the sidelines and sending the occasional hover charm when she fell out of trees wasn't enough. As the beautiful young girl was led away he noticed the familiar blue ribbon tying up her hair and he smiled. He kept standing there until they turned a corner and he could no longer see any traces of his Goddaughter. Finally, after taking a deep breath, he had decided. He would go see Dumbledore and ask the old man to help him. With that he turned on the spot and with a loud  _ CRACK _ was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Now Mia has met Remus, what do you think? Comment your feels.


	9. Waiting

Remus Lupin stood in the eccentric office of Professor Albus Dumbledore. Remus paced back and forth across from the headmaster who sat patiently in his chair, peering over his half moon spectacles. "I just don't understand why the ministry won't let me see her! I mean I know when she was a baby they didn't know my intentions or my loyalties and didn't want me to raise her, but now is different! I'm her only family! I should be the one explaining to her all about her parents and taking her to buy her books! Why did the Ministry have to put up that restraining order? I mean I know I shouldn't have tackled that council member when they decided to place her in the muggle orphanage, and I definitely shouldn't have kicked that auror in the face when he tried to drag me out of the courtroom, but still! I was angry! They shouldn't take my mistake out on the girl! Anyone would have been that angry if someone had taken away their child! Just because she's not my blood doesn't mean I don't love her just the same! Seriously! Wizards and blood, they think that's the only thing that matters! You know I even went to the Orphanage myself once, trying to adopt Mia Bell the muggle way. But of course, they wouldn't adopt to a single male in his thirties who hasn't had a steady job in years, and looks like a druggie! Damn Lycanthropy! Makes me look like I'm strung out every full moon."

Chuckling Dumbledore looked up at the angry werewolf to see if he was finished with his ranting. "Oh, what? You think this is funny! That girl grew up not even knowing her name! Never knowing anyone even cared she existed! Growing up with those muggles… I even saw a boy throw a brick at her and hit her in the head knocking her out of a tree! Mia Bell would have been safer-"

"Remus! Remus please I get the point you are trying to make! And please take a seat." Dumbledore gestured to a comfy chair sitting across from his desk, but Remus was no where near calm enough to sit. "I'm aware of the situation and I do believe you should be in her life. But the ministry has its grounds. You burnt a lot of bridges when you fought for that girl the wrong way. All I'm asking is for you to calm down and fight the right way this time. Just be happy the ministry applied a paper restraining order to you and not a magical one. If it had been magical you wouldn't have even been able to spy on the girl as you have been over the years. Now, I already have commitments with Quirinus Quirrell to take the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts position this year, but I would be delighted if you would consider taking it next year."

"Your solution to my desire to see my Goddaughter is offering me a cursed teaching position in a year?"

Dumbledore chuckled once again, his blue eyes twinkling. "Having you teach here gives me a valid and persuasive tool to convince the ministry to lift the restraining order. Then even if you aren't able to hold the position the following year, you will still be able to have Miss Black in your life." Remus looked ready to hug the man.

"Dumbledore you're a genius!"

"Yes, so I've been told." Dumbledore chuckled again but then adopted a much more serious look. "There is one key to this plan that I must ask you to promise to in order for it to work. You must promise not to try and 'accidentally' bump into her again. Minerva was right to intervene today. If the ministry gets wind of you trying to break their orders then they will not agree to my plan in a year's time. I know your sacrifice has been great already, but I must ask you to hold out just a little bit longer. It will be worth it in the end."

Remus looked torn. He knew what he needed to do, but he just didn't want to do it. But if having his Mia Bell in his life again meant staying away for another year, then, of course, he would do it. "All right Professor, I promise."  


* * *

The car ride back to the orphanage had been a solemn drive. After the awkward meeting outside of the wand shop, Mia didn't know what to say, and Professor McGonagall wasn't offering any explanation. When they finally arrived at the old house, the Professor helped Mia unload her trunk that was unfortunately no longer floating and no longer feather light, and paid and dismissed the cab driver. Mia wondered how the Professor would be getting home, but she didn't seem too concerned.

Professor McGonagall turned to Mia and offered her a few last words. "Now remember, term starts on September first. There will be a car here to pick you up at nine am sharp. The driver will take you to Kings Cross station and your ticket is in your school letter. Now on your ticket, it says you will be leaving from platform 9 3/4. This is not a mistake and if you ask any of the muggles at the station they won't know what you're talking about, but all you have to do is find the wall separating platforms nine and ten and when no one is looking just push up against it. It's a sort of illusion, the wall isn't really solid and you will be able to pass through to the real platform. Got it?"

"Yes Professor."

"Now Amelia, I know everything you have seen and learned today was probably a lot. But trust me when I say it will seem normal before you know it. Now get on inside before it gets dark, and remember to enjoy the rest of your summer!" Professor McGonagall gave her one last thin smile and turned to walk down the long road leading away from the orphanage. Mia dragged her very heavy trunk up the steps of the orphanage and looked back to see the Professor one last time, but she was gone! 

The road was empty and the old witch was nowhere to be seen. Mia smiled to herself as she opened the front door. She had a feeling she was going to like this new world.

As the next few weeks progressed, Mia had spent most of her time reading. She stayed mostly in the girls' dormitory since it was the one place Bradley couldn't go. Since he’d learned Mia was leaving at the end of summer to go off to a special school, he’d doubled his efforts to make her life horrible. 

Two weeks into her reading Mia had already finished her extra books she’d bought and had started in on her school books. She’d learned so much about the wizarding world, and now felt like she wouldn't be such an outsider when she started school. She now knew the mythic creatures she’d heard about growing up were actually real. She knew that wizards used fireplaces as transportation instead of cars. She knew all about Quidditch, although it was a little more boring than she thought, and she promptly forgot most of the rules. And she knew all about Hogwarts and its four houses.

Mia decided she would most likely want to be in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. Gryffindor sounded like a wonderful house, but Professor McGonagall had said her mother had been in Ravenclaw so she sort of wanted to go there to follow after her. She didn't know what house her father had been in, but she imagined after reading about them he was probably a Slytherin. And after reading about 1001 of the most famous witches and wizards of the last few thousand years, some of the most evil ones had been from Slytherin house. She definitely didn't want to follow in her father's footsteps.

She was in the middle of reading 'The Standard Book of Spells: Grade 1'. Mia desperately wanted to try out the spells she was reading about, but Professor McGonagall had warned her that for an underage wizard using magic outside of school was illegal and could get her expelled from school. She’d just started this book and was only two chapters in, but she couldn't keep her focus. 

Tomorrow was her eleventh birthday. Her birthday was the only thing Mia liked about summer, and it was her favorite day of the year. Even though she didn't have any family, every year on her birthday a present would come in the mail addressed to her. She would always wait excitedly outside for the postman and run to greet him when he brought the mail on her birthday. The present were never anything big or fancy, but Mia didn't care, they here the only presents she ever received in her life. 

The packages were the most mysterious things. They were always wrapped with newsprint and had way too many stamps on them, as if the person sending it was never quite sure how many were needed. And the most mysterious part about them was they had no return address. Simply the initials RJL in the left hand corner. None of the presents ever had any notes or cards tucked inside. They were always completely anonymous.

Last year Mia had gotten a small envelope filled with bright blue hair ribbons, and the year before it was a box filled with candy she’d never heard of. Pumpkin Pasties, taffy in some interesting flavors, and chocolate from a place called Honeydukes. Mia didn't know where it was from, maybe somewhere foreign like France or Germany, but they were the best sweets she’d ever eaten in her life. But the year before that had to have been the strangest of them all. Her birthday had fallen on a Sunday and that meant no post. 

Mia was sad and spent her day reading on the wall out back when Mrs. Hefner called her inside. Apparently someone had left a package on the front doorstep for her! It was addressed just as it always was with too many stamps, and the mysterious RJM in the corner, but the stamps didn't have the usual markings on it to show it had been run through the postal service. It was as if the secret someone had gotten her package ready, and realized that with the 15th being on a Sunday, her present wouldn't get to her on time, so they just dropped it off themselves. Mia wished they’d stayed to watch her open it. Inside the package had been a children's picture book about a beautiful princess who was trapped by a dragon. Mia Loved it.

Mia loved her birthday because she knew every year she would get one of RJL's misters presents. But it wasn't about the present for Mia. She could care less about receiving things. Mia loved seeing those packages because it meant one thing. Someone out there knew she existed, and they loved her enough to make sure she always got a sign of that love on her birthday.

Mia tried to push the happy thoughts towards the back of her mind so she could focus on the magical theory that came with spell casting and charm work. She took a short break for dinner, not wanting to stay too long in the dining room for fear of the look in Bradley's eyes, and then retreated back to her room to read for a few more hours before lights out.

As Mia lay in bed trying to let sleep overtake her, thoughts of the spells she’d read flashed through her head. Just as her mind began to lose consciousness the thoughts changed to images that would be forgotten when she awoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Think Remus can stand the long wait? What do you think Mia will get for her birthday?


	10. Birthday

A dark shaggy haired man lovingly throwing her in the air.

A brunet woman with piercing blue eyes using a wand to make the dishes wash themselves.

Men flying on broom sticks through the air as they passed a large red ball back and forth.

And a tired eyed man with a scarred face who she’d met before, making a wolf stuffed animal dance as he sang her to sleep.

The next morning Mia awoke, and a smile crept onto her face before she’d even opened her eyes. Today she was eleven years old. She opened her eyes and got up. She walked into the bathroom and cleaned her teeth and got ready for her day. After getting dressed she braided her hair into pigtails and tied off each one with one of her favorite blue ribbons.

It was still too early for the post, and none of the other kids were up yet, so Mia grabbed the spell book she’d been reading the night before and went out back to her wall to read. It was a beautiful summer morning, and although it was threatening to get hot later in the day, in the early morning there was a calm breeze blowing past. After a while she could hear stirring in the house, kids taking showers and heading into the kitchen to eat breakfast.

Mia was in the middle of reading about levitation spells and the slight differences in them depending on the needed outcome when a sound reached her ears. A truck out in front of the house driving on the gravel. 

No the  _ mail _ truck driving on the gravel! 

Mia snapped her book shut and jumped off the wall a little too eagerly, hurting her ankle in her landing. Ignoring the pain she ran around the front of the house right as the postman was getting out of his truck. Knowing what Mia was there for he handed her a small shoebox sized parcel before taking the rest of the mail to the box. Mia thanked him as she ran back inside the house, headed for her room.

As she sped down the hall, Bradley took the opportunity to stick out his foot and trip her. She landed on the ground just as Mrs. Hefner came out of the kitchen. "Oh dear, please be more careful! I don't want you going to that school of yours all broken up. What would they think of your caretakers?”

Mia sighed and apologized for her clumsiness as she half limped back to her room, prized box in hand. She set her book on her bed, keeping her box in hand as she walked to the bathroom to get a wet wash cloth for her bleeding knee. She went back to her bed and sat down. 

Everything about the parcel was just the same as it usually was. An odd number of stamps, her name in the middle with the RJL written in the left corner. With trembling fingers, she opened the package to find an old reused box. Opening the box she pulled out something gray and fuzzy, and out fell a note. Mia froze. There had never been a note before. Thinking it was probably just an old receipt and not wanting to get her hopes up; she set it aside and looked at the stuffed animal in her hands. It was an old gray wolf. Its eyes were an icy blue color and it was a little worn like it had been played with many times.

She didn't know why but just looking at the toy made her feel safe inside. She brought the toy up to her face and gave it a slight hug as a familiar scent filled her nose. It smelled so familiar, a slightly musky smell, like what a stranger's pillow would smell like, but familiar. Keeping the wolf pressed up to the side of her face so she could absorb the smell. She unfolded the small scrap of paper and gasped. It was a note. And the handwriting was the same that had been written on the outside of her package.

In case you don't remember,

his name is Moony Bear.

I gave him to you the day you were born, and

I'm giving him back to you now in the

hope that he will protect you when I can't

as you go off to school this year.

With all my love

RJL

She read the words over a few times trying to absorb what she was reading. Who was RJL? And how did this person know she was going off to school? Were they watching her, and looking out for her as they implied? She stuck the note into the pages of her spell book to keep it safe and held her wolf out in front of her to examine it closely. Moony Bear. The name didn't make sense given the toy was a wolf not a bear, but in some far off way the name sounded familiar. 

Grasping an idea at the back of her mind, she held the Wolf by his arms and made him dance. It just felt so familiar! Mia closed her eyes tight and held the wolf to her face breathing in the scent. Moony Bear. She knew it was true. Suddenly an image flashed quickly past her eyes. A man holding her wolf and handing it to her as he tucked her in. She couldn't see the man's face, but she knew the smell and she knew the look of love in his eyes. It was true. She’d been loved once long ago, and one of the people who’d been there the day she was born was still alive and still loved her dearly.

No one else wished her well for her birthday that day, no one even gave the slightest acknowledgment it was a day any different from the one before or after. But as Mia sat on her bed with her spell book open in front of her, and her Moony Bear under her arm, nothing else mattered.

She spent the last two weeks of her summer like that. Lying on her bed reading the last of her school books as she held her wolf. She knew she was too old for such toys but a part of her didn't really care. She would be leaving for Hogwarts soon to learn about the magic she was beginning to recognize inside of herself, and she would pack away her Moony Bear to go with her.

The night before she was to leave she couldn't sleep. She was too excited about leaving for school. What house would she be in? How long would it take for her to make friends? How would the other kids react to who her parents where? Would she be any good with magic? She snuggled in farther under her blankets, holding her wolf close to her chest and quietly hummed a familiar tune to herself, and slowly slipped into her sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remus makes his love known from afar. What do you think?


	11. The Hogwarts Express

Mia awoke early on the first of September. She was so excited she just couldn't sleep another moment. She quietly got out of bed and grabbed the clothes she’d set out the night before for her first day, and snuck into the bathroom. After showering and cleaning her teeth, she french braided her long black hair back with a blue ribbon and got dresses. Mia dragged her trunk into the entrance next to the front door, and went into the kitchen to wait for nine o'clock to approach. It was only 6:30. She was so excited she just couldn't sit still. She wasn't hungry so she pulled out one of her potions books and read for a few hours. She’d already finished all of her books in the month before summer ended but her potions book was definitely her favorite subject so far. She’d already read the book through a few times, and couldn't wait for classes. She just knew she would love her potions class.

At 8:30 Mrs. Hefner came into the kitchen to make sure Mia was all ready to go and to wish her luck. Mrs. Hefner may not have liked Mia and her weird tendencies very much, but she had still raised the child since infancy and felt she owed the girl some words before she left the orphanage forever. 

"Amelia, I just want to wish you well as you go off to that school of yours. I know you will get great marks and have no fear for your schooling, but… if you ever do find yourself in a tight place and need a friend, know you can always call on me."

Mia knew that wasn't likely to ever happen and Mrs. Hefner probably secretly prayed she never did call, but the sentiment was nice all the same. "Thank you, Mrs. Hefner, for everything." 

Not liking the touching moment with the young girl, Mrs. Hefner simply nodded and started putting things on the stove to get breakfast ready for the other kids. As a few kids started waking up and trickling into the kitchen to find food, Mia decided to grab her trunk and wait out on the front lawn. None of the other kids really thought of her as a friend and would want to say bye to her. She had a few friends in the past, but they’d always gotten adopted quickly. The one person she truly didn't want to see on her last morning was Bradley. He usually slept late, but Mia wouldn't put it past him to wake up early just to give her one last torment.

It was 8:46 Mia only had 14 minutes to go. She sat down on her trunk and opened her book back up to read. A few minutes later she was fully engrossed in her book and didn't hear the door silently open up behind her. The next thing Mia knew she felt something hard collide with her back and sent her flying forward. She picked herself up off the ground and turned to see Bradley standing there with his arms crossed smirking at her.

"Hey arse face! What do you think you're doing trying to leave without saying bye to me?" Mia chose to ignore him and picked her book up out of the dirt and brushed it off. Mia noticed a slight rip in the knee of her jeans and saw her knee bleeding, staining her jeans. This was the nicest pair of jeans she owned, and she’d wanted to look good for her first day of term! Her anger was rising, but she promised herself she wouldn't fight back.

"What's wrong arse face? You gonna cry because you ripped your pants? You know you should really be more careful next time!" Bradley walked up to her and started shoving her back. Mia started to see red as her anger flared. She wasn't a chicken and she didn't back down. Bradley knew this since the day Mia had given him a black eye, but he also knew she didn't fight back since Mrs. Hefner said if she did one more time, she would be sent away to a detention facility.

Bradley kept shoving her as he taunted her. "What's the matter arse face, afraid of getting in trouble and being rejected from that stupid school of yours?" Finally, after he punched her in the stomach hard, Mia snapped. She looked up at Bradley as she tried to catch her breath and all of her anger towards the boy started to seep out of her.

Eyes glowing ice blue Mia looked Bradley in the face and large boils broke out all over his skin, growing larder until they popped and reformed. Bradley let out a cry of anguish. A black car pulled up in front of the orphanage and a tall skinny black haired man in a suit and top hat stepped out of the car in a rush. 

He ran up to the two kids and pulled a stick out of his jacket pointing it at Bradley. He muttered a few words and the boils on his face healed suddenly and then he muttered another word that sounded like " _ Obliviat"  _ A look of dazed oblivion appeared on Bradley's face. The wizard looked down at the boy and spoke, "Alright son, you've said your goodbye now go back inside and eat your breakfast." And just like that Bradley turned around and went inside closing the door with a click. Then the wizard turned to the still fuming young witch and placed his hands on her shoulders looking into her icy blue eyes. "Girl, I need you to calm yourself. Contain your magic before the muggles notice! Miss Black! Calm your mind!" Finally snapping out of it Mia's eyes returned to their normal bright blue hue, and she looked away from the wizard ashamed.

Relaxing slightly the wizard straightened up. "That was a close one; the power radiation off you was strong. It's a good thing I showed up when I did or you might have blown the house up." The wizard looked a little hesitantly at the young girl but pointed his wand at her bloody knee and muttered  _ "Episkey" _ The cut on Mia's knee healed. Then the wizard muttered  _ "Tergeo"  _ followed by  _ "Reparo" _ and just like that all the blood on her knee was gone and the rip in her jeans was mended.

Magic was cool.

The wizard turned on the spot and picked up Mia's trunk with a grunt and stored it in the car. Finally finding her voice Mia looked up. "Sir, thank you for healing my leg, but I must ask, who are you exactly?"

The wizard frowned after closing the trunk. "I'm simply an employee of the Ministry of Magic, and I've been enlisted to take you to the Hogwarts Express. Now if you would please get in the car. And don't forget to latch that belt thingy on the seat. Muggle police are very big on those."

Mia climbed into the car with her potions book still in her hand. After she buckled her seat belt, the ministry official pulled away from the house and Mia never looked back. 

"Now Miss, I know that the magic you performed on that muggle boy was what we call uncontrollable underage magic, and given you haven't been trained yet you won't be punished for it. But do keep in mind in the future that from here on out you are fully responsible for controlling your magic in front of muggles. You will need to make sure you get that under control. And also remember you are never allowed to perform magic at all outside of Hogwarts until you are of age."

Mia and the Wizard spent the rest of the drive in silence.

When they reached the station, the wizard pulled up to the curb and hopped out of the car. Grabbing a trolley he loaded Mia's trunk onto the cart and gestured for her to take it. He gave her a small bow and jumped back into his car and drove away.

Mia pushed the trolley through the doors into the train station. The building was beautiful, with a tall ceiling and tall pillars spaced about. Mia had plenty of time left before her train was to leave so she looked for the right direction and made her way towards platforms 9 and 10. As she got closer to the platforms she noticed that mixed in with the crowds of regular people she saw the occasional strange looking families with kids pushing trollies just like hers, sometimes with an owl in a cage perched on top.

Mia followed them and watched as an older blond girl of about 16 positioned herself in front of the wall separating platforms 9 and 10 and started to run towards it. Right before she collided with the wall she was gone with a flash. Her parents following behind calmly walked through the wall and disappeared behind their daughter.

A few moments after the family left, Mia got up her courage and started pushing her cart towards the wall. She thought running would be a little obvious to the muggles around the station so she calmly pushed her trolley up to the wall and pushed through. As her face passed through the illusion she closed her eyes tight, but felt nothing. When she opened them again there was a beautiful scarlet steam engine on the track stretched out in front of her.

There were people all around her bustling about and saying their goodbyes to each other. She saw a pure white haired blond boy about her age being kissed all over by his pretty mom, much to the boy's obvious disgust. Mia made her way onto the train, dragging the heavy trunk behind. She was sweaty and out of breath by the time she got it up the stairs. Most of the kids seemed to still be on the platform waiting for old friends to come through the barrier or saying goodbye’s to their parents.

Mia trudged towards the back of the train and found an empty compartment to claim as her own. She dragged the trunk into the little compartment and try as she might, couldn’t shove the trunk into the rack above the seat. Giving up, she took the seat by the window and curled up with her book again, alternating watching the people come through the barrier and reading her book. 

It was funny to watch the people come through the barrier as most of the younger kids had looks of horror on their faces as they went running through. She noticed as a flock of boys with bright red hair come pouring through the barrier one after another, followed by a black haired boy with glasses and a red haired plump witch and her daughter who looked just a little too young to be starting school. She went back to reading her book not wanting to see the goodbye hugs she desperately wanted to experience.

Eventually, there was a loud train whistle and all the kids on the platform piled onto the train. Just then the compartment door slid open to reveal 4 kids looking for a seat. "Mind if we join you?" The speaker was a blond girl of about 13 followed by a younger girl who looked like she could be her sister and two boys. The first boy was also younger, a bit chubby and had light brown hair. The second boy had dark hair and looked about the same age as the older girl.

Mia smiled at the new kids hoping they would be her new friends. "Yes please come in." They helped her with her trunk, and stuck their own in the racks and took a seat as the train began to move.

"My name’s Christy Abbott and this is my sister Hannah." Hannah was sitting next to Mia and gave her a small smile. Mia was so excited to be making new friends but she tried to play it cool as she shook the hands of the people in the compartment. "This is my boyfriend Kevin MacMillian and the other boy there is Neville."

"Nice to meet you all, my name’s Amelia Michelle, but you can call me Mia." Mia had decided to introduce herself without her last name in the hopes people would get to know her for who she was before they knew of her hated family.

"Are you gonna be a first year this year? Me and Neville are and I'm super nervous to find out what house I will be in!" Hannah did look quite nerves, she didn't seem like one who was good at coping with new changes.

"Yeah, I'm a first year! I'm really curious to find out what house I will be in as well. I hope it's Ravenclaw since that's the house my mother was in."

"Oh Ravenclaw would be nice. As long as you aren't in Slytherin you would be fine I think. That house is horrible!" Neville seemed to shiver internally at the thought. Neville had a toad in his hands and was holding it as if for protection. The two older kids had pulled away from the younger kids and seemed to be whispering romantic things to each other completely ignoring the other kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mia makes new friends! How do you think it will go?


	12. Welcome To Hogwarts

The first years spent the next hour or so chatting about how they thought school would go, and even talking about Quidditch. Mia was extremely thankful she’d read all the books giving her the back story on the wizarding world, otherwise, she would have been lost in the conversations. A few times Neville realized he’d lost his toad and had to look around for it; one time it even hopped outside the compartment somehow. 

A little while later an old witch pushing a trolley of sweets stopped by their compartment and asked if they wanted to buy anything. Mia didn't want to spend any of her money, but then she saw Pumpkin Pasties on the cart! She bought a few of them and was shocked to see that they were exactly the same as the ones she’d gotten for her birthday years before. Did this mean RJL was someone in the wizarding world? The packages always came by muggle post.

The conversation changed to the feast they would have that night and Hannah told the other two everything her sister had told her about Hogwarts. Eventually, to Mia's horror, the discussion got onto the topic of families. Neville was from a pure blood family but he was also an only child and lived with his grandmother. Hannah came from a muggle family but her sister had gotten a letter a few years back much to her parents’ surprise. Mia listened intently hoping they wouldn't ask her any personal questions. But it couldn't be avoided. "What about your family, Mia?"

"Oh well my mother was a muggle born but my father was a pure blood." She didn't want to tell the kids, but she refused to lie to her new friends.

"Really? What's your father's last name?" Neville, being from an old wizarding family knew most of the other families by name and reputation and was happy to have some kind information on the other muggle born students since he knew he probably wouldn't excel much in classes.

"Oh, well, my f-families last name is Black." To state the other kids in the room were shocked would have been an understatement. Hannah being muggle born didn't know the significance, but her older sister had certainly heard of the murderer, and Neville looked positively terrified.

Kevin was the first to find his words. "Certainly not Sirius Black!" Mia didn't even respond, she just looked down at the floor in silence. "But he's a mass murderer and was one of You-know-who's best followers!"

Finally understanding, Hannah let out a small shriek. "But I've never even met my father, and my mother died when I was a year old!" The kids didn't seem to care.

"Yeah your dad was probably the one to kill her! He hated muggle borns! Or maybe you killed her as a baby and just didn't realize the gene was already in you!"

Hannah scooted away from Mia in fear and that hurt Mia the most. "Listen, I’m not my father and I don't deserve to be treated like this. I thought you guys were my friends but if not I will just leave!" Mia was getting angry at their stupidity and fear.

"Oh yes please do leave! I wouldn't want you blowing up my girlfriend or her sister just because you're a Death Eater!"

Mia was so angry she stood up and her eyes started turning an icy blue. The other students flinched. "You’re such an ignorant arse! I have half a mind to hex you right now!" Mia pulled out her want for emphasis and pointed it at the stupid boy. There was another shriek of horror and Mia's eyes flared with anger. And with that she stormed out of the compartment and slammed the door shut behind her.

Mia leaned against the wall trying to calm herself as her eyes returned to their normal color. Those kids had been so stupid. She was 11 years old and Voldemort was dead! How could they think she was a death eater? 

Oh well, she’d read up on Hufflepuff and it didn't seem to hold the smartest students. Both Christy and Kevin had been in Hufflepuff and Hannah hoped to follow them there as well. Neville as well just figured he would be placed there, although he wanted to be in Gryffindor like his parents. If only Mia could get a hold of her temper. She’d backed down to Bradley for years so she didn't get kicked out of the orphanage but she refused to do that any longer! She wasn't at an orphanage anymore and she was going to stop walking on eggshells and be her own person! 

But if she hadn't lashed out to the kids in the cart maybe she would have been able to salvage their friendship.  _ I have half a mind to hex you right now?  _ Ha, yeah right. She’d never performed a spell in her life, and didn’t know any hexes! Those kids sure where gullible.

Just then one of the compartment doors near her opened up and out walked a very pale blond boy flanked by two large plump boys. They didn't look like people Mia wanted to know. The blond boy looked Mia up and down and smirked at her before walking towards the front of the train and disappearing. Hoping the cart they’d just left was now empty she opened the door up a crack and slipped inside.

She turned around to see two young wizards looking at her in shock. The first was a skinny boy with dark hair and round glasses and the second was a redheaded boy with a load of freckles and a licorice wand hanging from his mouth. "Oh sorry, I didn't think anyone was in here." The boys just kept staring at her as if she had something growing from her nose, but Mia wasn't backing down. "Do you mind if I join you?"

The boys were snapped out of their shock. "Oh, of course not! My name’s Harry and this is Ron."

"I'm Mia." And with that she sat down and opened the book she still had in her hand. Perhaps the best way to make friends would be not to. These boys didn't seem like the type to be friends with girls yet anyways.

The two boys just shrugged and went back to talking about Quidditch, and Mia pretended to read as she sat thinking. A while later it started to grow dark and their compartment door was slid open and a bushy haired witch followed by Neville. Luckily he didn't notice her so she just pulled up the book in front of her face. 

"Have any of you seen a toad? Neville here has lost one." The boys both said no, but the girl wouldn't leave that easily. "Well anyways, my name is Hermione Granger." She stuck her hand out to Ron who looked less than thrilled. Didn't this girl take a hint?

Ron stuck his hand out and shook. "Ron Weasley, and this bloke is Harry-"

"Oh god! It's her!" Mia had let her book slip as she watched the exchange between Ron and Hermione, and Neville had seen her. The look of horror on his face told her that losing her temper and pulling out her want probably wasn't the best idea. She sighed and closed her book.

"Neville please, I was only joking! That prat Kevin made me mad! I wasn't really going to hex anyone!"

Neville didn't seem to care. "That's the daughter of Sirius Black!"

At this Ron seemed to choke on the candy he was cramming in his mouth. Recovering he tried to explain for Harry and Hermione who didn't know who the Blacks were. "Black was one of the most deadly convicts of all time! He was a major supporter of You-know-who and blew up a street ten years ago killing a load of muggles! He's now locked up in Azkaban." A look of fear appeared on Hermione's face. Even Harry looked shocked at the mention of one of Voldemort's followers.

"My father did that stuff, not me!" Mia was so angry, why did no one seem to care she wasn't a murderer. Instead, they flinched at every word and movement she made. She let out an angry yell and stood up and walked out of the compartment shoving a petrified Neville out of the way as he screamed in horror. Just then an announcement came over the speaker telling the students they would be arriving soon and if they haven't changed yet they should put on their school robes. Angry and eyes flashing with ice, Mia stomped over to her original compartment and threw open the door. A look of horror appeared on Kevin and the Abbott sister’s faces. There were a few new kinds in the compartment and apparently they had heard the whole story because all it took was a whispered  _ that's her _ and their faces showed the same fear. Not caring about making friends anymore, Mia stormed over to the trunk rack and pushed Hannah out of the way as she stepped up onto the chair so she could reach her trunk. She fished out her robes and uniform and tossed in her book before she slammed the lid closed, jumped to the floor and stormed out of the compartment.

She found a bathroom and slipped inside locking the door behind her. She was so mad she could have screamed. A few times she’d felt the feeling of magic welling up inside her but she pushed it away not wanting to get into trouble. Mia roughly changed into her school clothes and robes and had to re-do her braid. Then she just sat down on the lid of the toilet and waited with her head between her knees trying to calm herself. She should have known she would be just as hated here as she was back at the orphanage. There she was hated because she was different in ways she didn't even know, and here she was hated because of a family she’d never met.

Mia waited until the train had stopped and she could hear most of the kids in her end of the train had left. She snuck out of the bathroom and headed back to her original compartment. Thankfully it was empty so she stepped onto the empty chair and reached up to open her trunk and crammed her dirty clothes in. She closed the lid and left the compartment not wanting to be late.

When she got off the train, she saw the majority of students walking down a path towards carriages that were being pulled by- the most gruesome creature Mia had ever seen. These creatures faintly looked like the cross between a horse and a bat, but it had no hair and its translucent skeleton like wings were horrifying. None of the other kids seemed to care as they climbed into the carriages pulled by these creatures. 

No, Thestrals. Mia remembered reading about them in one of her books. But you were only supposed to be able to see them if you’d witnessed someone die. Who had Mia ever seen die? She definitely couldn't let any of her classmates know about this. They’d be convinced she’d killed someone before.

Thankfully Mia didn't need to get any closer to the beasts as she saw a giant man with a lantern calling out. "Firs' years follow me! Over this way firs' years!"

Mia followed behind the group of kids not wanting to get noticed. She saw Neville sniffling and crying as he walked and wanted comfort him. He couldn't find his toad and feared it was still on the train somewhere. Just then the pale blond boy and his two too-big-to-be-eleven-years-old friends saw Neville and snickered. 

"Oh did Longbottom lose his stupid toad? Maybe you sat on it and turned it into goo!" They laughed and pushed him into a tree before walking on and watching the crowd for another target. Mia lowered her head and walked on not wanting to be noticed.

"You must be the Black girl." The blond boy was in front of her walking backwards so he could watch her. "The name's Draco Malfoy. That makes you my cousin. You will find not all of us are scared of Death Eaters." He smirked at his two lackeys. "Stick with us and you’ll be among family." He smirked again and stuck out his hand.

"To bad for you I'm not a Death Eater you prat!" Mia was done with bullies and she was done with trying to be sweet enough to make friends. She would fight if someone provoked her, but she didn't pick on other people just for the fun of it. That's what scum like Bradley did and she was done with it. She shoved past Draco and sped up until she reached the lake shore.

"Everyone into a boat. Four to a boat, please! No pushing!" The giant bellowed and climbed into one of the boats by himself. Once they were all in the water the giant hollered and all the boats took off. Mia was in a boat with a few other first years who thankfully didn't know who she was. "In just a minute you'll see yer first glimpse o' Hogwarts." There were oh's coming from the first few boats and then Mia's boat rounded some trees and she saw it.

Stretched out across the lake was the most beautiful castle Mia could have ever imagined. It was enormous with several large towers and turrets. The full moon was behind the castle backlighting it so that it glowed. It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen in her life and she couldn't wait to live there for the next seven years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, maybe Mia won't make friends quite so easily, what do you think?


	13. The Sorting Hat

As the incoming first years climbed out of the boats, the large giant of a man found a frog in the bottom of his boat. Neville was so happy as he ran to reclaim his toad. 

As the students walked under a passageway towards the school they were met by a well put together Professor McGonagall. Her hair was perfectly pinned up and her green robes were crease free and flowing. She also didn't have the slight frazzled look she’d worn the last time Mia saw her.

The professor scanned the group of incoming first years as if sizing them up and paused as she came to the skinny boy Mia had met on the train named Harry. Then just as quickly the professor looked away. When she came to Mia she gave the thinnest of smiles which Mia appreciated immensely.

As she told the students about the upcoming sorting and the separate houses they could be in, Professor McGonagall led the new students to two large ornate double doors. She told them to wait there until she came to get them and then disappeared through the doors with the faint sound of hundreds of students talking leaking out. As soon as she disappeared the first years started chatting among themselves. Mia was in the back trying to avoid the looks of the first years who knew about her as they told the other students who didn't.

"So it's true then, what they are saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." Draco was standing in front of the boy Mia had met on the train. So that was Harry Potter. She’d read about him in one of her books. He didn't seem like a bad guy and she hoped he didn't take the token of friendship Draco was offering him. She couldn't hear their words over the other students whispering about Harry but she could see what was going on. Harry seemed to be glaring at Draco and didn't take the stretched out hand. 

So Harry was smart too. Good to know. 

If Draco was any example of the reputation her family had, it was making a bit more sense why people seemed so frightened of her. Mia was happy that at the mention of Harry's name, everyone seemed to forget about her.

Just then Professor McGonagall came back in and told them to follow her. The wide doors opened by magic and the first years began to walk inside. The room was massive. The high arched enchanted ceiling sparkled with the stars and the dancing floating candles. Mia had read all about this room in Hogwarts: a History and had been most excited to see it for herself. It was one of the most beautiful things she’d ever seen. She could hear the bushy haired girl Hermione telling another student how she had read all about it. Apparently this girl had the same idea as Mia with buying extra books.

The hall was spread out with four long tables and one shorter table running long ways at the top on a small platform. All the tables were filled with students in black cloaks lined with some color. Green, yellow, blue and red. Mia realized these were the house tables.

The front table seemed to hold the teachers and staff of the school with a small stool perched on the edge of the platform with an old hat sitting on top. Mia noticed that the entire room was looking at this hat. So following suit she stared at the old hat as if waiting for it to explode.

Instead of exploding, much to Mia's surprise, a large slit opened up in the front of the hat and it began singing! The tune was strange and its voice was rough, but the words where catchy.

_ Oh you may not think I'm pretty, _

_ But don't judge on what you see, _

_ I'll eat myself if you can find _

_ A smarter hat than me.….. _

Mia was so nervous she could hardly listen to the strange hat. She looked around and the other first years seemed to be just as nerves, if not a little distracted by the talking hat. When the hat was done with its song, Professor McGonagall walked over with a large scroll. 

"When I call your name you will come forward and sit on the stool. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head and you will be sorted into your new house." The first years shifted with nerves. "Abbot, Hannah"

The blond girl ran forward and sat down. Professor McGonagall set the hat on her head and it fell down past her eyes. It was only a moment before the hat called out "Huffelpuff!" The table just to the left cheered and Hannah took off the hat and ran over to the table sitting next to her sister.

"Adewumi, Gabriel" A tall black boy stepped forward and sat. The hat took a bit longer with him before yelling out.

"Ravenclaw!" Table just to the right started cheering.

"Black, Amelia" Small gasps came from around the room as the few students who did know her spread the already growing gossip. Mia pushed her way from the back of the group of first years and stepped up to sit on the stool. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head and it fell over her eyes. Mia was happy she couldn't see the students as they crammed to get a look at the murderer's daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooo, sorry not sorry for the cliff hanger. What house do you think Mia will be sorted into?


	14. A hard night

As the hat landed on her head Mia was surprised to hear the hat talking in her ear. "Very smart this one, a great mind to be sure. A bit of a temper though, and lots of raw power. Should I put you in Slytherin like most of your family? Or Ravenclaw like your mother. You certainly have what it takes for Gryffindor. Plenty of courage and a person of great loyalty and honor just like your father. Yes, let's go with, Gryffindor!" 

The last word was shouted for the whole room to hear and the table to the far right of the hall let out a few hesitant claps as Mia took off the hat, handed it back to the professor and headed to the table. A few of the students next to open seats glared at her as if daring her to take them. Mia chose a seat at the end of the table, as the next names were called. 

Mia kept her eyes on the empty plate in front of her because every time she looked up her eyes were met with the glares of her new housemates. Gryffindor was known as one of the noblest houses and apparently the other Gryffindor's didn't like their house name tainted by her presence. Why had she been put into Gryffindor? The hat had said she was loyal and honorable, just like her father. Her father was a criminal and a death eater. But he was described as one of Voldemort's most loyal followers. 

Maybe the hat didn't differentiate between good and bad, only character traits. Was Mia really just like her father? That thought scared her. More and more people were sorted until there were only a few first years left. Every time someone other than her was sorted into Gryffindor her table cheered louder than any other. The few sortings she did notice turned her stomach. Neville Longbottom joined her table and looked overly fearful as he sat a few chairs away from her. Courage? How did this kid make it? Her dreaded cousin was placed in Slytherin making Mia even more happy not to follow after her family's footsteps.

As the empty chairs at her table were taken, the new students were moving closer and closer to Mia. Mia didn't really mind sitting next to her classmates but it was clear they didn't want to sit next to her. Finally something happened to take everyone's minds off of her presence.

"Potter, Harry."

A hush fell over the room as everyone turned to look at the skinny boy, and forgot about Mia. Then the room erupted in whispers. "Harry Potter? The real Harry Potter?", "It can't be!", "Did you see his scar?", "How did  _ he _ defeat you-know-who?" 

Mia was thankful for the distraction and used the glarefree time to look around the room. Finally, the hat billowed out. "Gryffindor!" and the whole Gryffindor table erupted in the loudest shouts yet. The last Gryffindor sorted was the red headed boy and he was starting to look a little green, but when the hat called out his house a look of relief crossed his face as his brothers cheered for him. The look of relief faded when he got to the table and saw the only free spot was right next to Mia. Ron solved this problem by scooting as far away from her as possible as the headmaster Albus Dumbledore stood up and said a few nonsense words, and all the trays on the table filled with a giant feast.

Mia wasn't really hungry after her rough day, but she spent the meal spooning little bits of everything on her plate and moving it around so she looked busy. Ron was eating enough for the both of them as he piled everything in sight into his mouth. But the girl sitting almost shoulder to shoulder to him on his other side didn't seem to mind. She just kept flipping her mess of dirty blond hair around in the hopes that Ron would notice. Mia though she remembered her name as Lavender.

As everyone finished eating their fill, the plates were cleared and the headmaster stood up again to speak. He made reference to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and reminded students that the Forbidden Forest was off limits as well as a third floor corridor. The Prefects were ordered to show the first years to the common room and they were dismissed. Mia followed a bossy red headed boy up several flights of stairs with the rest of the first years. A few times as they walked one of the other tired student's would look up and see they were walking next to her and then quickly speed up.

Mia took to ignoring her classmates and started paying more attention to the things around her. As they walked by wall after wall of paintings, the people in the portraits would smile and wave, and wish them greetings. Mia had read about all this, but there's a big difference in reading about something and actually seeing it. And Magic was one of those things that had a big difference between reading and seeing.

Finally after being lead up moving staircases and past disappearing doors they reached a landing that only held the portrait of a large woman in a pink dress. The Prefect pushed past the tired students shouting as he went. "Make way Prefect coming through! I have the password now move out of my way!" He finally reached the front and spoke the password in a pompous voice. 

"Caput Draconis." 

The portrait swung open and the students piled into the cozy round room filled with squashy armchairs. "Girls dorms are to the left and boys are to the right." The Prefect pointed to a set of stairs and then sat down in a chair by the fire to talk to a friend. A few of the older kids went straight to their dorms but none of Mia's fellow roommates did so Mia used this as a perfect opportunity to escape to her room. She went up the staircase and stopped at the door with a gold '1' on it. Mia opened the door to a round room filled with five four poster beds in it. Mia saw her trunk open next to one of the beds with all of her school supplies plus added Gryffindor colors to her robes and scarves.

Mia fished out her sleepwear and found a bathroom. After showering she braided her hair so it would be wavy the next day and cleaned her teeth and face and headed back to her room. She put her dirty clothes away and was about to get into bed when the door opened and her roommates came in. The other four girls looked surprised and disappointed to see her as if they’d been hoping she would have gotten lost on the way to the room. Mia's roommates where, Parvati Patil, Fay Dunbar, Lavender Brown and the bushy haired girl Hermione Granger.

After the short pause, Mia walked back to her bed and sat down as she put on some lotion. The other girls started getting ready for bed and it was a little while later when Mia closed the curtains around her bed and was climbing under her covers when she heard the brown haired Fay whisper. "I don't want to sleep in the room with her!"

"Maybe Professor McGonagall will let us stay somewhere else." That was Parvati.

"They can't expect us to bunk with her! It's not safe! She could murder us in our sleep!" Lavender squeaked.

"Shh, she’ll hear you!" Hermione's warning was enough to scare the girls into silence.

Mia had had enough of stupid people for one day. She was so tired of being treated like garbage. She sat up and ripped open her curtains as Lavender gave a horrified shriek. Mia just gave her one of her most icy death glares. "Don't worry; I'm not planning on killing any of you, tonight!" And with that Mia snapped shut her curtains and flopped back onto her bed. Probably not her best choice in words, but she didn't care.

Slowly but surely the other girls all silently climbed into bed and Mia could hear the change in their breathing as they fell asleep. Mia was so frustrated she couldn't sleep. She waited until the last of the girls drifted off into sleep and then she slid out of bed and opened up her trunk and pulled out her Moony Bear. She climbed back under her warm blankets, wolf in hand. She knew the other kids would make fun of her for having a stuffed toy she slept with, but she doubted their opinion of her could get any lower. She didn't know why but for some reason she found it much more comforting to have the wolf in her arms. Mia fell asleep holding Moony Bear tight to her chest as she tried to remember the faces of the people she knew loved her in her dreams.

* * *

The full moon had set and the sun was beginning to rise over the castle. A tired and broken man stood on the edge of the Forbidden Forest looking up to the building that had once been his sanctuary and home for seven years. 

Remus was exhausted. It had been a hard full moon and he had many new scrapes and cuts to show for it. He’d had a mission that night, to talk to the wolves of the Forbidden Forest. Wolves usually didn't like Werewolves very much, but Remus had kept his mind clear and had gotten them to trust him. He’d asked them to watch over his Mia Bell for him. The wolves seemed to like the idea of watching after the Witch-Pup. They thought it would be a fun game so they accepted.

The broken man looked up to what he knew was the Gryffindor tower.  _ Did you get sorted into our old house? Are you there now sleeping among friends?  _

A tear slipped down Remus' cheek as he wished he could have been there to see her sorted.  _ Damn you Sirius! _ It should have been her family teaching her all about their world before Mia Bell had gone off to school. Remus should have taught her about how the world worked and all the book stuff while Sirius taught her how to ride a broom and play games. Her mother should have taught her how to dress and fussed after her wounds when she was out roughhousing with Harry and all the other kids James and Lily should have had. 

Another tear snuck out of his full eyes.  _ Damn you Sirius for betraying them, for betraying me, for abandoning Mia Bell and for taking away the only family I've ever known. _

The exhausted man took one last look up to the castle and turned towards Hogsmead so he could apparate back to his lonely flat. As he walked, with silent tears making tracks down his dirty face and a slight limp due to a large cut on his leg from his rough night, Remus prayed for the strength to make it through the next year until he could have his Mia-Bell in his arms once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Mia is in Gryffindor! Did you guess right? Wish it was different?


	15. Classes

The next morning Mia woke up early, excited for classes to begin. She got up and changed into her clean clothes, washed her face and cleaned her teeth. She spent a few minutes fixing her hair as she let it out of its tight braid and teased it into beautiful waves. She didn't care if no one would talk to her or if everyone hated her. She wanted to look good on her first day of classes for herself.

Once she was ready she went down into the common room and ignored the looks she received. She followed a few older boys out of the portrait hole and followed them to the great hall. She would need to memorize the halls quickly as Mia had a feeling she wouldn't get many helpful directions from her classmates. 

Once in the great hall Mia took a seat by herself at the still mostly empty Gryffindor table and piled eggs onto her plate. She was almost finished when Harry and Ron entered. Mia was happy to see the eyes in the room shift from frightened looks at her to excited looks at Harry. As Mia made to leave she heard a few Ravenclaw girls whisper. "Did you see it? Did you see the scar?"

Mia was thankful to know there was at least one person the school was whispering about more than her. Professor McGonagall stopped her on her way out of the hall and handed her a class schedule. She thanked the professor and tried to walk away but her head of house wouldn't have it. She looked Mia in the face and asked her sternly, "Are you doing alright, Miss Black?"

Mia didn't want to tell the professor she was hating life and just wanted to start her classes to get her mind off things so she wouldn’t accidentally strangle a classmate. Mia was dedicated to ignoring her anger, an emotion she clearly got from her murderer of a father. Instead she smiled. "Yes Professor, excited for classes to start." 

Professor McGonagall gave a small smile and let her pass. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil walked in and gave her frightened looks as they rushed over to Professor McGonagall. Mia left the great hall and tried to head back up to her room to get her books for class. She got lost a few times and finally followed another Gryffindor. She went up to her room and loaded the things she would need for the morning into her book bag and escaped back downstairs. She got lost several times and had to ask four paintings and a ghost for directions but she managed to make it to her first class: History of Magic.

Mia was the first student in the room and sat at a desk to the side of the class. As the next few students wandered in Mia realized they would be sharing this class with the Hufflepuffs. Hannah walked in and looked in horror towards Mia. She sat in the farthest possible chair away from Mia. Mia ignored them and got out her book and note taking material as the rest of the class filed in.

It wasn't long before Mia realized her note taking was pointless in Professor Binns class. The ghost teacher was unbelievably boring and seemed to be telling them all the information Mia had already read in her text book. It was as if the teacher just assumed none of the kids had read their books. Mia knew this definitely wouldn't be her favorite class.

Mia spent her lunch in the library doing her History of Magic essay almost from memory, and then left early to find her Transfiguration class. This class was taught by Professor McGonagall and Mia was sure she would love it. Reading about transfiguration theory was so interesting. Mia arrived early to class and grabbed a table near the front. The other kids all filed in and the desks filled till there was only one seat left next to Mia. 

Professor McGonagall entered the room and surveyed the class. Just before she began talking Neville rushed in red faced and late. Professor McGonagall ordered him to take a seat pointing next to Mia and the boy noticeably shivered. She stared him down until he reluctantly sad in the chair, scooting as far from Mia as possible. It was clear Professor McGonagall's teaching style was much the same as her smile. Stern.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and gave her speech. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned." 

The professor then waved her wand and turned her desk into a real live pig, and back into a desk. With the full classes attention on her, she began her lecture where all of them took complex notes and afterwards were given a matchstick to try and turn into a needle.

Mia couldn't get it. She didn't understand. She knew the concept and it made perfect sense to her, but for some reason when she waved her wand and spoke the words it didn't work! She was getting a little too frustrated at her failure and her eyes began to ice. She started to think maybe it was just her wands fault. As if to prove it was the witch and not the wand, the next time Mia waved her wand a tiny explosion engulfed the match stick and turned it to ash. Neville looked horrified next to her as he whimpered.

"Try again." Professor McGonagall set another match stick on Mia's desk much to her disappointment.

"Professor, look!" Mia had blown the ash away to find a few glittery bits of metal in its place.

"Causing a small molecular explosion and creating metal, although very difficult was not the goal of the lesson. Try again." Mia sighed and continued, this time not letting her anger get in the way. By the end of class, Mia's match was still a match, much like the rest of the classes. The only person who had made any difference in their match had been Hermione, who had made her matchstick silver.

As Mia was packing up her stuff to head to her next class, Professor McGonagall asked her to wait behind. When the rest of the class had cleared out Professor McGonagall looked up at her with a stern look. "Miss Black, it has come to my attention that last night you threatened your roommates in your dorm. Now I know you have a bit of a disadvantage given your family history but I have to say I am very disappointed in you. I thought you would have been a better steward of the opportunity given to you." Mia was speechless. She had been expecting getting told off for her anger causing the small explosion, but not for this. "Well? Explain yourself."

"Professor, I didn't threaten anyone last night." Unless you counted the Hufflepuff boy on the train.

"Well then, tell me exactly what happened last night and I will see if I can clear up any confusion."

"Last night after the feast I went straight to my room. My roommates had stayed in the common room for a bit so I decided to take a shower. After changing I went back into my room and was heading to my bed when my roommates came in. They were nervous around me, like everyone is for some reason. I really don't think I look that scary! Anyways after I put on my lotion and climbed into bed I closed my curtains and tried to fall asleep. The other girls were still getting to bed but the noise didn't bother me. Then they started whispering. They said how they didn't want to sleep in the same room as me and how it shouldn't be allowed. One girl said they were going to talk to you about possibly moving rooms. And one girl made the comment I might murder them all in their sleep. I was angry. I admit I was extremely frustrated after being called a death eater and a murderer. So I sat up in bed and ripped back the curtain and announced that I wasn't planning on killing any of them that night. I realize I probably worded it the worst possible way, and I think the angry part of me did it on purpose. I apologize for my rash anger and promise to try harder with being more patient." Mia looked down in shame and silently prayed she wouldn't be expelled. It had felt good to finally tell someone about everything that had been building in her mind but she had a feeling Professor McGonagall wasn't the right confidant.

"I see. There was a bit of miscommunication between your roommates and yourself. I will speak to those in question to clear this up, but I must urge you. I know you have been stuck with a hard spot here, but wait it out and your classmates will warm up to you. You simply have to make sure and not egg them on or give them more reason to fear you. Do you understand?" Mia nodded. "Good, now take this note to your next teacher so you don't get in trouble for being late. You are dismissed." Mia took the note and disappeared hoping the rest of her classes would be better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Mia ever have friends?


	16. Potions

Over the next week Mia noticed a few things about her classes. She didn't really mind being up at midnight three nights a week studying the night sky. She loved her Herbology class because it taught her more about the ingredients she learned about in her potions books. Her Defense Against the Dark Arts class was a bit of a joke. She excelled in Charms where she was lacking in Transfiguration because Charms was a much more direct form of spell work. And she also noticed that all of the desks in the school were two to a table desks except for in potions which held four. Mia quickly learned that Ravenclaw and Gryffindor where the only houses with an even number of first years, so when Gryffindor had a class with Slytherin or Hufflepuff it meant Mia got a desk to herself, but when they had a class with Ravenclaw, the last student in the room had to sit next to Mia. Sadly this usually happened to be Neville who never seemed to be on time and always ended up suffering in classes from fear of sitting next to her. Once or twice Mia had tried to help the boy, but he seemed to be more afraid she would hex him than help him.

The other students still hadn’t warmed up to her and the stories of what happened on the train and even more exaggerated stories were being spread around the school. Apparently Mia had hexed a young Hufflepuff in the girl's bathroom and left her in a stall till someone found her the next day. If you asked the average Slytherin, Mia had made deals with most of them and put hits out on her fellow Gryffindor's which the Slytherins loved to act out. This caused the younger Gryffindor's to truly hate her, and made a few of the older students who got hit to lash out at her. She even got hexed twice by her own house mates, and had to go up to the hospital wing covering her boil filled face with her cloak. Not all of the other students were avoiding her though. Draco seemed to not take offence of her, and although he hadn't tried to have a conversation with her again, Mia had a bad feeling he was planning something. Every time she passed him in the hallways he would make a note to bow his head to her and wish her a fair greeting with an evil smirk. One of the times Ron had been in the hallway and had witnessed the exchange. He gave an evil glare at Draco and an accusatory glare at Mia before running off to find Harry.

As Mia spent most of her time alone, she spent much of her time trying to find short cuts through the maze of a castle so she could better avoid the glares she received from her classmates. On Wednesday she was trying to find a new route to the Gryffindor common room and managed to stumble across the school Owlery. Mia walked through the crowd of lazy sleepy birds who hooted angrily at her for waking them up. She apologized for disturbing them and walked up to one of the large arched windows that opened the room up to the sky around the tall tower. It was a beautiful view and it made Mia feel safe being up so high. 

A beautiful snowy owl hopped her way over to Mia and asked her if she had a letter to deliver. 

"No I just came up here to get a way for a little bit." Mia spoke quietly so she didn't disturb the other owls as she stroked the beautiful bird's chest plumage softly. "You know, you are way too beautiful to be one of the school owls, I'm sure you belong to a student. So why are you offering to carry a letter for me?" 

The owl explained to Mia that her owner didn't have any friends or family he wanted to send letters to so she never really had much to do, but she was happy to deliver messages for the young girl who was kind enough to apologize for waking the other birds. Mia liked the bird. She was sweet and sensible and loved to tell Mia all about the things she’d seen since coming to Hogwarts.

Mia spent the next hour or so chatting with the beautiful bird. Her name was Hedwig and she loved her master, but really enjoyed having a witch like Mia who could understand her. Mia told her all about the other kids and the way she was being treated. Hedwig would listen intently and even offer Mia some advice. The bird hated to see older owls picking on the new fledglings and her protective side came out when she heard of some of the mean things the other students were saying about Mia. Hedwig promised to come visit her in the mornings sometimes when the other owls delivered the post, and Mia promised to come up to the tall tower to chat with Hedwig when she got lonely or was having a bad day.

As night was approaching, Mia said her goodbye and spent her last few moments in the Owlery looking out into the falling darkness of the school grounds. Mia heard a wolf's song in the distance as they celebrated the catch of their dinner. She’d heard Mr. Filtch the caretaker having a conversation with Hagrid the gamekeeper about the arrival of the wolves in the forest. There had always been a pack living in the extensive forest but they had never come so close to the school before. 

Mia sighed. A wolf would be an interesting animal to meet. Mia had talked to cats, birds, the occasional mouse and even a little stray dog once, but never to anything bigger. She once tried to talk to a snake she found, but she didn't seem to be able to talk to reptiles. 

As the last of the skies light fell from the Owlery, Mia created a simple  _ lumos _ charm and started to find her way back to her common room. Mia officially decided owls were much better company than starlings.

Mia was desperately thankful for the library. She found out she could hide out for most meals and stay late in the evenings in a secluded table until right before curfew so she could avoid her roommates as much as possible. Lavender and Parvati seemed even more scared of Mia after her talk with Professor McGonagall. Knowing they were probably just scared she would try to get back at them for trying to get her expelled, Mia just gave them a wide berth.

Finally Friday came bringing with it Mia's most awaited class. Mia found her way down to the dungeons by following a few Slytherin first years after breakfast. She made her way into the classroom and found a seat at a table to the side. All of the other tables filled up with the quick rush to the seats so no one had to sit by Mia until the last two people made their way into the class. Mia found herself seated across from Neville and Hermione.

Once everyone found their seats the back door burst open and the dark and intimidating potions master, Professor Snape entered the class. He started class by taking roll call, only reading off the last names and glancing at the student quickly to memorize the face. Was it just Mia's imagination or did Professor Snape say her last name with a bit more venom than the rest? And he didn't even look up at her as if he already knew what she looked like and didn't want to be forced to see it again. When he came to the 'P's' he seemed to pause on one. 

"Ah yes, Harry Potter. Our new  _ Celebrity. _ " Mia heard her cousin and his dim friends laugh from the Slytherin side of the room.

After roll call, the professor jumped into a long lecture on the art of potion making, and although Mia had mixed feelings about the professor, she really did love the sound of Potion making. The Professor started on a question answer game where he clearly had ulterior motives.

"Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"  _ You would get the Draught of Living Death. _ Mia knew the answer but there was no way she was going to raise her hand. Hermione seemed to have other plans though as her hand went shooting into the air.

Harry looked confused. "I don't know Sir."

"Tut tut. Clearly fame isn't everything." He looked pleased. "Let’s try again. Potter, where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?" 

_ A goat's stomach. _ That was an easy one, Mia thought, but clearly Harry didn't know. Hermione started wiggling her fingers high in the air trying to get the teacher's attention. Draco and his lackeys were laughing into their books.

"I don't know Sir." Harry looked frustrated.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming here did you Potter? What is the difference between Monkshwood and wolfbane? 

_ Nothing. They are the same. _ Hermione lifted off her chair as she reached higher into the air.

"I don't know Sir, but perhaps you should try Hermione." Mia and a few other kids laughed. But apparently Professor Snape only noticed Mia, His eyes narrowing at her like daggers.

"Sit down you foolish girl!" He snapped at Hermione and turned his full attention onto Mia. "Think you can do better Miss  _ Black _ ?"

The way he said her name made her want to cringe. Instead she straightened up in her seat and responded. "Powdered root of asphodel and an infusion of wormwood make a sleeping draft so powerful it's known as The Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a small stone that is found in the stomach of a goat and can cure you from most poisons. And Monkshwood and Wolfbane are the same plant that is also known as Aconite." Professor Snape looked at her like she had just ruined his day and Hermione glared at her with jealousy. She hadn't asked to be called on. Was it really her fault she knew the answers?

"Well why aren't you copying this all down?" Snape roared as all the students searched for quills and parchment. "And five points will be taken from Gryffindor house for your cheek Potter, and five points for your tone  _ Black. _ "

After that they were set to make a potion to cure boils. Mia loved it. Cutting and crushing the ingredients, timing out the potion and making sure things settled right before adding the next part. Even though Mia was paired with Neville their potion was going great and was clearly ahead of everyone else's. Snape spent the lesson hovering around everyone criticizing all the Gryffindor's and taking points off for the smallest things. He had a hard time finding something wrong in the way Mia was preparing things so he just insulted her appearance and criticized Neville ten times as hard. This made Neville extremely nervous and he almost made a few really bad mistakes but Mia caught him before he did almost every time. 

Their potion was almost done and it was perfect so far when Mia had to sneeze. Neville had been preparing the porcupine quills and Mia was about to take the potion off the burner when she turned to blow her nose. Just then there was a loud explosion behind her. Their cauldron had turned into a twisted blob and the potion was running all over the floor burning holes into people's shoes. The students jumped onto their stools not wanting their feet to burn but Neville who’d caused the explosion was covered in the burning liquid. Large red boils were already forming all over his body.

"Idiot boy!" Snape rounded on them siphoning the potion off the ground but leaving Neville covered and crying. I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the pot off the burner! And you, Black! Why didn't you stop him? Thought it would be funny to watch him mess up so you just moved out of the way?" Neville's cries of pain were getting a little loud. "You there," Snape pointed at Seamus, another Gryffindor. "Take him up to the hospital wing. Five more points from Gryffindor, Miss  _ Black. _ " 

Mia couldn't believe it. Her potion had been perfect, and now she had failed her first potions lesson, the one thing she seemed to love.

After classes that day Mia was glad it was the weekend. She packed up all of her homework and headed to the library with the intent of spending the entire weekend there if she could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Snape, why are you so angry?


	17. Brooms

As the next few months passed at Hogwarts Mia began to fall into a bit of a rhythm. Every morning she would wake up super early before anyone else and would sneak down to the great hall avoiding as many students as she could. With late night astronomy classes and the other students sleeping in, she found once again that morning was the most peaceful time she had. She would take a quick breakfast in the great hall eating as much as she could till she was stuffed, and then didn't come back for any of the other meals. 

When she found the entryway into kitchens, she stopped taking her meals in the great hall all together. She made friends with a house elf named Kiki who loved to provide Mia with food. 

Mia wasn't afraid of the other students, she just didn't like the negative attention she received, and didn't want to start any fights. She may not have had any friends, but the opportunity to be at the school was enough encouragement for her to check her attitude and try not to stand out or cause trouble.

Once or twice she’d been attacked by an older student and she got so angry the spell rebounded onto the caster ten times as strong as the original. Thankfully each time this had happened, the caster had been a Gryffindor student who was too noble to lie or admit they had attacked their own housemate, so Mia managed not to get into trouble. With how angry people were with her presence she knew most students were just waiting for her to mess up bad enough so they could rat her out and get her expelled. Mia wasn't going to be sent back to the orphanage, so she avoided as much confrontation as she could. Sometimes even the library wasn't safe for Mia especially from the older Slytherin students who knew she wouldn't fight back, so Mia began looking for alternative places to read and do her homework, and then one Saturday morning she found it. The Quidditch Pitch.

The Quidditch season hadn't started yet so Mia found comfort hiding up in the Quidditch stands fifty feet in the air. Up there she felt safe and after creating a few warming spells, could spend all day. Sometimes when Mia was up there reading she would just stop and listen to the wolves howling. As Mia sat listening to the song of the Wolves, Mia realized their song wasn't their normal song of family and play and the bond of the pack.

_ Come, come and play, _

_ Join us as we hunt and eat, _

_ Join us as we play and run. _

_ Come, come and play with us, _

_ Daughter of the forest, _

_ Come to us Witch Pup. _

Mia spent most of her time reading. She did her homework quickly and well, and then would find books in the library filled with things she really wanted to learn, like advanced potions techniques or defensive spells. Professor Snape made it abundantly clear he didn't want to teach her. He more often sabotaged her potions and never tried to challenge her to be better.

She also didn't seem to be any good at attack magic but she tried to start learning defensive spells so she could protect herself. She tried to learn a few basic spells, the Expelliarmus charm and the Knockback Jinx. She couldn't get the hang of either one, instead, when faced with a student ready to hex her, she would stand strong and take what came. Mia couldn't go on hiding from her enemies, it made her feel weak. And weak was the one thing Mia was not.

In Mid September a notice appeared in the common room telling the first years they would be starting flying lessons. Mia wasn't too fond of this idea but she joined the other Gryffindor and Slytherin first years obediently. When all the students collected on the grass the flying instructor had everyone line up next to a broom. They were told to reach out and call 'Up!' to the broom. Mia’s broom rolled hesitantly on the ground. She may have loved heights but she had no desire to fly. She wasn't a bird who waited for the day she could spread her wings and fly through the air; she was a land animal who loved to climb to high unreachable places and rest, basking in the rays of the sun, with her footing safely anchored on a wall or a tree branch. Not a flying broom.

Eventually the broom landed in her hand. She definitely wasn’t first, but thankfully she wasn’t last either. 

The students were told to climb onto the broom and on Madam Hooch's whistle kick off hard, hover for a moment and land. Mia was nervous, but apparently not as nervous as Neville, who was afraid he would be left on the ground at the whistle blow and kicked off early. He tensed up and pulled up on his broom. Madam Hooch started yelling for him to come down but it was no use. Neville went flying into the sky and straight into the wall of the castle. He bounced off the wall, losing his grip of his broom and landed on the ground with a  _ crack _ as his broom went flying off free towards the Forbidden Forest.

Madam Hooch went to take him to the hospital wing for a broken wrist and threatened the other students on penalty of death not to leave the ground. Not a moment after she was out of sight Draco stepped forward and picked something up off the ground. 

"Looks like Longbottom dropped his remembrall. Maybe if he had given this a squeeze he would have remembered to fall on his fat ars." Draco threw a small glass ball filled with gray smoke into the air and caught it again.

Harry stepped forward to challenge Draco. "Give it here, Malfoy." 

Draco didn't seem like he was going to comply. Instead he climbed onto his broom, rising gently into the air and doing tiny laps around the class.

"How about we play a little game instead. Oh dear cousin of mine?" Draco looked over at Mia. Every Gryffindor looked at Mia with betrayal. They thought she was friends with the Slytherins and had seen Draco show kindness to her on a few occasions, but apparently the thought had never occurred to any of them that she was actually related to Draco. "Come play a game of catch with me, Cousin Amelia." 

Draco tossed the small glass ball to Mia who caught it carefully. Draco seemed to know what he was doing to his cousin, making her choose and become completely hated by her classmates or lose the only family she had. It wasn't a hard choice.

Mia took the remembrall and reached to hand it over to Harry. "Yeah right, Draco, like I would ever want anything to do with you! Your classmates can spread as many lies as they want but I am nothing like you!" Draco looked at her with contempt and a look of shock crossed over the rest of the watchers face’s. 

Just before Harry grabbed the remembrall, Draco swooped in and took it from her outstretched hand.

"Fine then. Why don't I just leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find it then. Maybe on the roof? Catch me if you can, Potter!" and with that Draco was off. Harry climbed onto his broom much to the horror of Hermione who tried to tell him to get down, but Harry took off after Draco. He was a little bit shaky at first but it was clear he was a great flyer.

After being chased by Harry for a few minutes, Draco seemed to grow worried they might be caught so he decided to ditch his prize and head to the ground. So after yelling a taunt at Harry, Draco threw the remembrall at the wall of the castle fifty feet below and Harry took off chasing it. The class started screaming as Harry took a nosedive towards the ground and stopped just before hitting the wall right in front of a classroom window. Draco silently made his way to the ground as all the class cheered and ran to Harry as he landed. Just as the cheers died down, Professor McGonagall walked out of the castle. 

"Harry Potter! Follow me." And with that Harry turned down his face in shame and walked away. Draco was beside himself with joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Draco is a prat. I wonder if Mia can play a part in changing that?


	18. Friends

They discovered later that Harry hadn't seemed to have gotten in trouble at all from the incident. No one knew what the professor had said to him but he seemed happier than usual when he returned to the common room later that day.

A few nights later Mia noticed as she was laying in bed, that Hermione never came to bed that night, she didn't know why but she stayed awake much longer than usual and finally, well after midnight, an irate Hermione came into the room and went promptly to bed. Mia wondered what she was up to, but decided getting involved with other people's messes probably wasn't a good idea. Especially when that student hated her already.

As time passed it was clear Harry was struggling with his school work. No one was supposed to know but Harry had been offered a spot on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Mia only knew because she spent so much time in the tall stands studying that she’d seen him. Luckily as the house teams had been practicing, no one had seen her up there yet. 

One evening Mia was in the library returning a book for their Charms essay that was due the next morning and saw Harry poring over a stack of books trying to write his essay. Ron was in a detention with Professor Snape so Harry was trying to do his essay on his own. Mia felt bad for him. With all the extra Quidditch practice he was having a hard time. 

Mia saw it as an opportunity to make a friend.

Mia wandered over to Harry and read a bit of his scribbled essay over his shoulder and sat down. "No, that's wrong;  _ transfiguration _ is the alteration of the object's form or appearance. A Charm is any spell that adds or changes the properties of an object; it focuses on altering what the object  _ does _ as opposed to what the object  _ is. _ See, there's a slight difference." Harry looked shocked when Mia sat down and he looked completely stunned when she started talking. "Here, you can read over my essay if you would like to get some ideas." Mia slid her paper out of her book bag and handed it to Harry.

"Why?" It was the only word the confused boy could get out. Mia had seemed to be on his side during the flying lesson, and she was usually quiet, but Harry had seen her explode angrily on a few students before. She was also related to the Malfoy family who he knew was evil so he was sure to watch her closely and be on guard.

Mia smiled sweetly. "Well I know Hermione sometimes helps you, but she seems pretty mad at you right now, plus with Quidditch practice I know you've been really busy."

"How did you know I've been practicing Quidditch?" Harry looked accusingly at the girl.

"Well given the fact that over the last few months people have been hexing me left and right, I've had to find places no one goes to study. So I've been using the Quidditch stands." Mia smiled. "Now I tell you this knowing you are a trustworthy person and won't go blowing my study spot. Now do you want to read my essay or not?"

Harry didn't seem ready to trust her just yet. "Why are you helping me?"

"Maybe because I'm not the evil person everyone thinks I am. Mind you, no one ever asked, they just assumed the worst of me before I even opened my mouth. I'm hated for reasons I could never control."

"But you hexed that girl!"

"Oh please! Don't tell me you believed all of that! It was the first week of school! I still can't even perform those hexes! I will admit I have a bit of a temper, but my bark is much worse than my bite. I've never lifted my want against a student since I've been at school." Mia didn't think Harry needed to know about the incident on the train.

"But your Malloy's cousin!" Harry just wasn't giving up.

"And tell me Harry, you used to live with your cousin and family right? So are you exactly the same as them, or does just knowing who they are make you want to be different and better in every way?" 

Mia had heard Harry tell Ron about his aunt and uncle before when she was hiding in the library studying. She didn't want to hold something like that over his head, but she also wanted an ally. Harry seemed to be thinking hard. 

"Look, you don't need to change your mind about me tonight. Keep the essay, that was my rough draft and it might help. Have a good night, Harry." And with that Mia got up and left the library.

It was Halloween night and Mia had been ordered by Professor McGonagall to attend the feast. The teacher didn't like seeing the girl hide away from the school and she wanted her to just try to mesh with the other students. So Halloween night Mia made her way to the Great Hall and walked to the Gryffindor table sitting at the end near the empty seats. To her surprise Harry sat next to her not saying a word and began eating his food. Ron seemed to protest, but one glance from Harry made him shut up and start his usual pastime of cramming food into his mouth. About half way through the meal, Professor Quirrell ran through the doors of the great hall screaming. 

"TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!" He promptly fainted on the ground.

All of the kids in the room started screaming and it took a loud BANG coming from Professor Dumbledore's wand to quiet them. "Prefects, please escort all students to their dormitories immediately, and teachers follow me to the dungeon." The students all got up and started pushing towards the mix. Mia got up and joined the rush but broke off as they reached the hallway. S

he was going to the girls bathroom on the first floor. Mia had found Hermione in there earlier crying. Apparently Ron had said something stupid to her earlier and she had been in there crying ever since.

Mia ran to the bathroom and threw open the door. "Hermione!" Mia didn't see anyone in there but started looking under the stalls until she saw Hermione's shoes. "Hermione, open up! We have to go now!"

Mia heard a sniffle. "Go away! You're the last person I want to see right now!"

"NO! Hermione, there's a troll loose in the castle and we’re in danger! We need to get somewhere safe!"

"A-a troll? But how did it get in?" Hermione's curiosity out beat her fear and seemed to be poking through her tears.

"It doesn't matter! It's dangerous and we need to go!" Mia banged on the stall door and finally Hermione opened up. Her face was red but she’d stopped crying. "Now let's go before it makes its way up from the dungeons." Just then there was the small squeak of the bathroom door being opened and the most horrible smell made its way to the two girls. "Eww what's that smell?"

Hermione was looking over Mia's shoulder and had seen what it was. Hermione screamed and pulled Mia into the stall with her. The troll had been annoyed at the high pitched scream and swung his club taking out the rows of stalls. Mia pulled Hermione to the ground as the club took out their stall and most of the wood with it leaving them uncovered. Mia saw the opening and pulled Hermione with her to hide under the sinks. The troll, seeing the girls run, took a swing at the sinks and knocked a few of them off the wall, breaking open a pipe and causing a bit of a rain shower in the bathroom.

Then to the girl's relief the bathroom door opened again and in ran Harry and Ron who looked rather horrified at the giant troll. The two unlikely heroes rushed in and began throwing broken wood at the troll trying to distract it from its game of smash the small girlies. Harry hit the troll in its head and managed to get its attention and the troll raised its club to smash Harry. Mia suddenly remembered she was a witch and pulled out her wand. Ron followed her cue. With a muttered  _ Flipendo _ Mia shot the Knockback Jinx at the club and it hit its owner in the face weakly. She wasn’t very good at it.

The troll gave his club a betrayed look and Harry took the opportunity to jump onto the trolls back. The troll recovered his friendship with the club and started swinging it around the room happily smashing up the rest of the stalls and trying to hit Ron. At this point Harry forgot he was a wizard and stuck his wand up the troll's nose. The troll hadn't noticed Harry's light form on his back but he did notice the wand in his nose. He started thrashing around and managed to pull Harry off his back, holding him up by his leg. The troll raised his club in the air and Ron, with the help of Hermione managed to levitate the club out of the troll's hand and dropped it on his head. 

With a loud clunk, the troll swayed for a moment and then smashed into the ground. Ron was looking very smug with himself as Harry pulled himself up off the ground and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. That was when Ron noticed Mia standing next to Hermione. "What's she doing here?"

"I came to find Hermione, someone had to tell her the troll was about."

"Yeah and that's what we came in here for!" Harry had decided Mia wasn't the enemy but Ron hadn't been convinced yet. Just then the bathroom door burst open and Professors' Quirrell, Snape and McGonagall came rushing in. they stopped when they saw the massive troll on the ground.

Professor McGonagall was the first to find her voice. "Explain yourselves  _ immediately _ !" Harry and Ron just looked at each other in fear. Had they really lost more points for Gryffindor? But it was Hermione who spoke.

"It was my fault Professor. I went looking for the troll. I've read about them and thought I could handle it. Harry, Ron, and Amelia came to help me when they knew I was in trouble. Without them I would be dead." It was sort of the truth, but the fact that Hermione had lied to a teacher at all was shocking.

"Well Miss Granger, I am very disappointed in you. Five points from Gryffindor for your foolish behavior. And as for you three. She looked at Harry, Ron, and Mia in turn. "Five points each, will be added to Gryffindor for dumb luck. Now all of you get up to your rooms before I take more points away!" The smiling students ran from the room and up to Gryffindor tower. That night before they closed their bed curtains, Hermione gave Mia a short 'Thank you' before she hopped into bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And things start to soften between them. Will Mia finally have people to stand by her?  
> I'm passing my novel over to my editor today and I'm super excited!!! And also a bit nervous. I'm not sure how long the editing stage will take, but I should be ready to publish my book by the end of summer!


	19. The things that drive us forward

Hermione still didn't like Mia, and she wasn’t quite sure why. Mia often competed with Hermione for top marks on their written work, but Hermione always beat her out on spellwork, especially in transfiguration. Regardless, they seemed to have come to an understanding. They were on the same team, even if they had different learning styles. Hermione preferred to put her all into a project, going above and beyond at all times, whereas Mia just did the assignment. Why spend the extra time on it when Mia could be reading up on other stuff she wanted to learn. Mia loved to learn, but not for the same reasons as Hermione. Hermione just wanted to be the best at everything. Mia wanted knowledge so she could be more independent, and maybe she could use her knowledge for her own personal gain. The only time Mia went above and beyond was in Potions. Mia wanted to learn as much as she could about the subject, and had already read most of the books in the library. Professor Snape clearly didn't want to teach her, so Mia was taking her education into her own hands.

Hermione even sometimes chose to sit next to Mia in class before all the chairs were filled up. Mia greatly appreciated this since it meant she didn't have to partner with Neville and have her potions ruined as much anymore. Harry Ron and Hermione had seemed to bond instantly through their battle, but it was clear their little group only had room for one smart know-it-all witch, even if Mia didn't flaunt her knowledge all the time. Mia sometimes would join the three war partners in the Great Hall for a meal every now and then, although no words were usually passed between Mia and Ron. And whenever one of the three came to the library, they would usually join Mia at her favored table. Slowly but surely the other students began to hate her less and less. They weren't friendly to her, they just left her alone, and for that Mia was thankful.

It was mid November when Mia was in the library reading up on her favorite subject. She’d been pulling out a big thick book called 'Every Potions Ingredient Known and How to Use it: at least the ones the Ministry lets you know about'. This book was one of Mia's favorite books because it taught you the tricks to each ingredient commonly used, and ways to prepare them that would act as shortcuts or get you the most powerful potion possible. As she pulled down the heavy book, a super small thin book Mia had never seen fell out from behind it. This book was called '10 Potions That Are Too Dangerous To Make.' Mia thought it looked interesting so she brought it along. 

Mia loved the funny names of the books she found in the wizarding world. They were always overly descriptive and a bit exaggerated. She dropped the large book on the desk with a loud  _ thunk _ and sat down opening the thin book first. The opening page of the book explained the following potions were listed as dangerous for either the complex process the potion required, the dangerous unintended results of the potion or the amount of danger the brewer faced in handling the ingredients or potion. 

Mia chuckled to herself. She’d read about different ingredients in the large book, and some of them just seemed so impractical to harvest. The following ten pages listed a single potion each page and the reason why it was known to be dangerous. Mia read the beginning of the first entry.

_ Exploding potion. A very volatile mixture. One wrong move in the ingredient preparation and the added ingredient causes the potion to explode in your face. _

Mia laughed. Of course an exploding potion was dangerous to make! This book didn't include any real information about any of its potions; it only warned you of the dangers. Mia read the next page.

_ Dragon Poison. This potion is classified as extremely dangerous because it requires the brewer to extract the saliva from a Pregnant Hungarian Horntail dragon the same day as the potion is prepared. Most attempts in dragon saliva extraction result in the potions maker being flayed on the hormonal dragons spiked tail. _

The reasoning behind this entry was so blatantly obvious it made Mia feel like the writer of the book just wanted to write a book so he just thought up the first idea he could. But then Mia turned to the next page and immediately her attention was captivated.

_ Potion of the Animagi. This potion is required for the initial human transformation into an Animagus form. It is listed as dangerous because the process of becoming an Animagus is extremely difficult and dangerous in itself. Also if the brewer takes more than the first 30 doses produced in the original position, the 31st dose will cause the immediate mutation and death of the brewer. _

Mia couldn't believe it. She knew what an Animagus was because Professor McGonagall was one and had given a basic explanation, but she knew the process to become one was extremely difficult and illegal to do unless registered with the Ministry of Magic, so the process was kept very secret. But here was a passage on the subject. 

Apparently there was a potion required for the first step of becoming an Animagus. Mia wanted to learn more, and she decided to make it her goal to learn as much as possible. She wasn't planning on trying to become one or anything, she just thought the process of making the potion would be great experience. It was listed as an advanced level potion and according to the book, actually making the potion wasn't the dangerous part. It was only if you intended to take the potion that you would be in danger.

Mia usually focused on the potions section when looking for reading material, but over the next few weeks as she spent every free moment in the library looking for reference of the Animagus potion, Mia thought it made more sense to start through the Transfiguration section. Mia found many books referencing the ability but none of them went much further than explaining the differences in human spell work transformation in comparison to an actual Animagus ability. 

Finally about two weeks out from Christmas break, and just before their mid-term tests, Mia was reading a book called; 'Transfiguration outside of the class room.' This book explained very simply that the process of the Animagus required a potion to begin the initial transformation and to help complete any beginning transformations thereafter in which the potential Animagus was not able to morph back. This made absolutely no sense to Mia but she added the paragraph word for word to her notes on the subject.

Mia dropped her head onto the page and sighed. She should have been studying for finals. The library was packed with students trying to cram as much information into their heads. But Mia just couldn't bring herself to study her class work. She had a great memory and was already doing great in most of her classes. The only class she worried about was transfiguration. She knew almost everything to do with the subject, especially after reading all the books over the past few days, but when it came to the actual process of the spell work, she just didn't seem to get it.

As Mia's forehead rested on the page, Mia opened her eyes staring at the text centimeters from her face when she noticed something. The small reference number at the end of the paragraph. 

_ 183! _

Mia flipped to the back of the book and looked at the Index. 180, 181, 182, 183! 

Reference; 'Transfiguration of the Mind, Body, and Soul', by Fritz Feltly. 

Mia scribbled down the title and author on a piece of parchment and went to the libraries book index. She skipped through the cards until she found the 'F's. Fably, Feltbottom, Feltly! Feltly, Fritz. There were two books listed under his name that the school library had; 'Mixing the Arts' and 'Transfiguration of the Mind, Body, and Soul.' Mia was excited; she’d never gotten so close to finding her answers before. She looked up the call number and scribbled it down. It followed the usual numbers system but the call number started with an 'R' Mia hadn't seen this before so she went up to the Librarian who was busy shelving books in the Care of Magical Creatures' section. 

"Madam Pince? I know you're probably busy but I was wondering if you could point me in the proper direction of a book."

Madam Pince didn't even look up from her work. "No problem dear, do you have the call number?"

"Yes Ma'am, it's R153.4."

Madam Pince set down the book and stared directly at Mia. "That book is in the Restricted Section. No students are allowed in there."

"Well if no students are  _ ever _ allowed in there then why do they even have it? Please Madam Pince, I really wanted to read this book to further my studies for the exams!"

"To gain access you have to have written permission from a teacher. But it's not likely you will be getting that! There's nothing on the first year exams that you wouldn't be able to find in the rest of the Library." And with that Madam Pince picked up another book and stuck it on the shelf. Mia knew a lost cause when she saw one. It was clear Madam Pince wasn't going to help her get the book she needed.

Mia went back to her table and picked up her notes for Transfiguration and began studying for her test. Now all Mia needed was to find a way to get into the restricted section.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now Mia has a challenge, what will she do with it?


	20. The Restricted Section

Mid-terms had fallen on the castle and students everywhere were studying, except for the Weasley twins of course. These were only the middle of the year tests, so they weren't as important as the finals. No one in the school seemed to be quite as frantic in their studying as Hermione had been. She seemed to believe they were as important as her NEWT's on account of them being the first official exams the first year students would be experiencing at Hogwarts. Hermione spent every waking moment leading up to the test that they didn't have class, in the library with Mia.

Mia had been trying to plan out the best possible plan of attack for getting into the restricted section of the library. She felt prepared enough for her exams and knew she would do well in most of them (except Transfiguration) so she wasn't too worried about the tests. Her main concern was her little side research project, and Mia believed she’d finally hashed out the perfect plan. Mia would enact her plan just after her Herbology mid-term test. But until then, Mia spent most of her time drilling Hermione on test prep questions. Mia enjoyed pulling up random facts out of books and watching Hermione passionately call out the answers. Mia's favorite part was the rare occasion when Hermione wouldn't know the whole answer and she would frantically rip the book out of Mia's hands and read through the chapter until she had it all memorized. Mia was glad Hermione had asked her to help, because it forced her to study even when she wanted to be working more on her own project. Ron and Harry didn't seem quite as concerned about the tests after Ron's twin brothers told them first year tests didn't really matter. They were off having a snowball fight.

The next few days passed in a blur, strangely Mia had always enjoyed taking exams. She never had a problem pulling up facts and information she’d previously learned and she enjoyed answering questions when she knew the right answer. Mia didn't even care that much when she got stuck on a question it just made her have to look at it differently and figure it out in a different way. Mia was usually one of the first to finish her tests, she didn't really care to go over and check her work, just figuring she did it just fine the first time around, and not really caring if it wasn't perfect. She had no one to impress so why did she need to get it perfect? But when she came to her Herbology class, Mia tried to go as slowly as possible so that she was the last one in the room.

When Mia went up to the table to turn in her test, she engaged Professor Sprout in a deep intellectual conversation about moss. The short professor loved to see students take an interest in her tame field and was very easy to get pumped up and excited about learning. "Professor, is it true that many different types of rare plants grow naturally right here in our Forbidden Forest?"

"Oh yes my dear it is! Our forest is such a rare treasure to be sure." The teacher was bouncing with pride at finally being able to capture a student's interest so deeply.

"Tell me, what are all the sorts of plants that grow in the forest?" Mia asked manipulatively.

"Oh well there's so much we don't know about the forest, no one really knows for sure as there are so many and not many people want to venture out and check." Much to Mia's delight the professor seemed saddened by this fact.

"Really? But I found reference to a book written about thirty years ago where an explorer actually searched them all out and wrote about it, but I was unable to get the book."

Professor Sprout's eyes almost bulged out of her head. "Really? Why couldn't you read the book?"

"Well the book is in the restricted section, and students aren't allowed in without a teacher's note. I wanted to do the research on the subject and maybe turn in a paper on it just for fun." Professor Sprout looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Alright Miss Black, I know where this is going. No need to try to sneakily ask me. I will give you permission on a few conditions. First of all, you can only spend up to one hour a day in the section, and every book you touch has to be recorded for me to know about. I know you are quite the avid reader so I'm not fooled into thinking you will only be reading books about plants, but please do keep in mind that the books with the purple code binding contain dark magic, and if you touch one of these books I will revoke your privilege before you can say Mandrake. Does that sound acceptable?" Mia nodded. "And lastly, I want a sixteen inch paper detailing the different plant species found in the forest, due at your earliest convenience. Does that sound reasonable?"

"Oh yes Professor! Thank you so much!" Mia glowed with joy.

"Good. Now get on to your next test before you're late." Mia bounded away to her next class overjoyed.

The rest of her tests went well for the exception of her Transfiguration test. Mia did well on the written portion of the test but did horribly on the piratical spell work half. She almost did as poorly as Neville. The score evened out fine and Mia still passed, but Professor McGonagall just looked down at the half dinner plate/half snuff box and shook her head. The only test Mia felt really proud of her performance in was Potions. The test had been to look at five different unknown potions and figure out what they were and then list the main active ingredients in each, then they were given a pre-made basic potion that had been messed up in the brewing process and told to put it right and finish it. Mia got all of the potions and ingredients right and then proceeded to balance out the Ph of her potion and turn it into a perfect bloating potion, much to Professor Snape's apparent frustration. Apparently they were supposed to be graded on a scale of how badly they did. 

After the tests, most of the students went up to their dorms to pass out or pack for the winter break, but Mia, who didn't have a place to go for Christmas and was saying in the castle, headed to the library to visit the restricted section for the first time.

She walked in and headed to the front desk to speak to Madam Pince, who was having a whispered conversation with the caretaker Filch. When they saw her coming, Filch broke away and left in a rush, while Madam Pince gave Mia a frustrated look as the slight blush left her face. 

"I suppose you are here about the restricted section? Professor Sprout already told me the conditions. You have one hour and every book you touch will be recorded." With that Madam Pince turned away from Mia and opened up a book to read. Given that classes were over for the semester the library was empty and Madam Pince didn't seem to want to be bothered by students any more.

Not wanting to waste any time, Mia headed to the gate to the restricted section and lifted the lock; it gave away to her with a rusty squeak and let her walk in. Mia set her note taking things down onto a table and started looking over the books. She noticed the purple binding on some of the books and made sure not to touch any of them. She found the book she’d told professor Sprout about and took it down. It wouldn't do if the professor got the book list that she had been reading and found that the book on plants in the forest wasn't on it. She took the book and set it on the table, then looked for the book she really wanted.

When Mia found 'Transfiguration of the Mind, Body, and Soul', her heart started racing. She pulled it out and went over to the table to read. She didn't want to skip anything so she started at the beginning. Most of the book was an in depth look at the power of the mind in transfiguration and Mia mostly glossed over this until she reached the chapter on Animagus.  _ The act of becoming an Animagus is both complicated and dangerous. In the following chapter I will detail the process involved but not without the warning that it is a very difficult process that one must commit completely to in order to not be stuck between forms for the rest of their short existence.  _ She had just read the first few lines when Madam Pince came over and told her the hour was up and she needed to put the books back. Mia made a note of the page and stuck it and the Herbology book back on the shelf.

As Mia walked back to the Gryffindor common room that night she thought deeply about the short bit she’d read. The first chapter had been about how dangerous this was, and Mia was only a first year. Was this really such a good idea? 

But then Mia remembered she wasn't planning on actually becoming an Animagus, she simply wanted to see if she could brew the potion. Mia took a turn on the fifth floor and decided to go to the owlery before curfew. Most of the kids would be leaving in the morning, so Mia's roommates would be up late packing. As Mia entered the owlery, Hedwig flew straight to her outstretched arm and asked how her tests had gone. Mia carried the beautiful owl to one of the large open windows and sat down telling the bird all about her week as she listened to the wolf's cry out to the rising moon.

The next morning Mia woke early to the banging of trunks as her roommates finished packing up to leave. Mia wished them happy Christmas as they headed down to the entrance hall and only Hermione and Fay responded politely and wished her a happy break as well. After taking a slow shower and eating breakfast, Mia went down to the library and entered the restricted section. She got out the herbology book for show again and then grabbed the transfiguration book and opened to the page she’d left off. She spent the next hour reading and taking as detailed notes as possible on the subject at hand.

Mia learned that the process to become an animagus required the person to drink a potion that transformed the taker into their animal form for one hour. In that time the witch or wizard paid attention to their body, learning the feel of the transformation. After this the person is supposed to wait until the next day and try to transform using meditation. In the early stages this often results in a partial transformation, and if the wizard is incapable of transforming themselves back, simply taking the next potion completes the transformation, and the wizard spends the next hour once again in their animal form until the potion wears off. And then the process repeats.

The dangerous part came in two ways. Firstly if in the process of trying to transform into their animal form, the wizard gets stuck and is incapable of ingesting a potion because they either ran out, or cannot open the bottle with say bird wings, then it is quite possible for the wizard to grow stuck. And although it is possible to remain half transformed for short periods of time, animal anatomy and human anatomy cannot coincide for too long and the wizard usually dies within a week.

The second dangerous side was if the Wizard does not manage to complete a successful independent transformation before they have used the last of their potion. When brewed, the Animagus potion amounts to thirty servings. If a wizard takes another potion, more than the original batch, it poisons the body and causes an unstable transformation, often leaving the person split, resulting once again in their death. This is the reason why it is recommended not to try to transform every day, but to space it out even once a month or more, giving the mind the proper time to adjust and the wizard plenty of time to meditate on the form.

It would make sense to the impatient person that if they did rush the process and used all of their potions before they had mastered the transformation, that they could simply stop trying. Never attempt the transformation again and consider it a lost cause. But the book also explained that once the first potion had been taken, the ability to transform was part of the person and could often lead to unexpected transformations if the person was frightened or provoked to any strong emotion. This was but another reason why the process was so dangerous and required total commitment. 

Once the process was started there was no going back, and if you failed to master the full transformation, you would most likely die sooner or later by accident. Mia wondered to herself once again why she was crazy enough to do this. She wasn't even any good at wand transfiguration. But the book she’d read did also mention that Human Transfiguration and the Transfiguration she was learning in class were two completely different arts, and that having skills in one wouldn't mean the wizard would have skills in the other. 

This was meant as a warning, but Mia took it as encouragement that she didn't need to be able to transform a teacup into anything else to be able to become an Animagus. But then she remembered she wasn't planning on taking this potion, she simply wanted to learn more about it. 

She really needed to remember that more often.

As Mia put the book back after her hour, she sighed. The book had only spoken on the process of the transformation, not the actual Potion. But it had made reference to another book that held the potion. Mia looked it up in the directory and saw that it was also in the restricted section. Mia put her search on hold and decided to take her notes out to the Quidditch pitch to study.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a comment recently that my explanation of the animagus is wrong as more info in the process has been released by Jo Rowling. I started this fic back in 2011 long before anyone knew anything about how to become an animagus (trust me, I checked back then) so to me, this is my head canon. Take it or leave it, but it feels right to me, and is kinda what I’ve built this story around. Hope you enjoy! 
> 
> So what do you think? Will Mia actually make the potion?


	21. Potion prep

The next few days passed in the same fashion. Mia woke early and ate breakfast, went to the library to read and then took any non restricted books to the tall stands of the Quidditch pitch to read more. On her second day, Mia found the book explaining the Potion of the Animagi and the process required to make it. It was indeed a complex potion and took Mia two additional days just to copy it down word for word. Mia took the notes with her to the pitch to study.

As Mia reread the ingredients list for the Animagus potion she wondered how she would ever get the ingredients together. Maybe she could owl-order some of them. 

She would ask Professor Snape if there was a way for student's to order potions ingredients. No, she would ask Professor McGonagall. Being that she wouldn't be leaving for Christmas, the professor should understand Mia's need to do some mid year shopping.

Mia found the Professor in the great hall at lunch time. She walked up to the large table just as Professor Dumbledore was leaving. "Professor McGonagall?"

The professor looked up from her pudding. "Oh yes dear, what can I do for you?

"Well I was just wondering. Since I'm not leaving anytime for break, I was sort of wanting to order some supplies I’ve been running low in, and I was wondering if there was a catalog or something I could order by owl from."

"What sort of supplies are you needing? What we bought you before school started should have been enough to get you through."

"Well, I mainly just wanted to get more potions ingredients for some extra experience. And I didn't want to use the school's stock for things not on the syllabus."

Professor McGonagall gave Mia a knowing look. She knew how Severus felt about his potion ingredients going missing, he had often ranted off in the teacher's lounge proclaiming how he knew it was the Weasley twins, but just couldn't prove it. And she also remembered how he and Sirius Black had interacted when they were in school together. Professor McGonagall wondered if this ever affected the way Severus taught his enemy's daughter. "Miss Black, let me ask you, what is your favorite class here?"

Mia felt confused by the question. "Well Professor, transfiguration is actually my favorite class." The Professor gave Mia a look that said she knew she was lying. "No, honestly, your class is the only one I feel challenged in. I know I'm horrible at the act of transfiguration, but you actually challenge me to try harder and to learn. Potions is honestly my favorite subject. I love it so much! Creating something from nothing is just so fascinating. But I feel like Professor Snape doesn't want me to do well, and he certainly doesn't challenge me to grow. So I've been trying to learn as much on my own as I can." Mia stopped because she felt like she’d said too much. She hadn't said anything disrespectful about the potions teacher, but she didn't want the Professor to think she was calling him a bad teacher. Mia knew he was a great teacher, he just clearly didn't want to teach her or most of her classmates.

"Believe me when I say, Miss Black, that Professor Snape knows how good of a student you are. In fact he was just telling me how frustrated he was that you managed to ace his test." Professor McGonagall gave her a thin smile. "Though I will trust you to keep that information to yourself. Now, I was planning on going into Hogsmeade after lunch to do some last minute Christmas shopping if you would like to come with me. I believe there is a very well stocked Potions store in the village."

Mia was shocked at the offer. "I would love to Professor!"

"Alright why don't you go get your money bag and a warm cloak and meet me in the entrance hall in a half hour. But Amelia, I must ask you, don't tell any of the other students of our shopping trip. It won't do well to have it looking like I'm playing favorites." 

The Professor gave Mia a stern look with hidden warmth behind her eyes. It took looking in the right place to see the warmth, but Mia was beginning to see it.

Mia left the hall with a skip in her step as she went up to her room to fetch her ingredients list and money. Professor McGonagall was happy to see the young girl so joyful for once.

The village was covered in a blanket of snow as Mia headed into the potions shop. She’d planned to meet back up with the professor in an hour at a pub called the Three Broomsticks. Mia wandered around the isles of the shop. She scooped tiny dried black beetle eyes into bags, picked up small bundles of Bloom Berry weed, and grabbed a vial of armadillo bile. She continued to collect her supplies and got almost everything she needed but was unable to find a few of the ingredients. 

After she bought all of the supplies she could find from the old smelly witch behind the counter, Mia read off the ingredients she still needed. Silverweed, ptolemy, saltpertr, and one horned slug. She also needed one lock of her own hair, but that would be the easy part. Mia still had a bit of time left so she decided to do just a little Christmas shopping for the only students who would talk to her. She bought some chocolate frogs for Ron as a peace offering, a small book on famous witches who had changed the world for Hermione and a tiny toy golden snitch the size of her thumb nail that hovered over the palm of your hand for Harry.

As she was leaving the candy store Mia stopped and turned. Was that a pair of redheaded students she’d just seen sneaking from the back supply's room? Mia smiled as she saw Fred and George sneak out and began snooping around for candies and gag toys. Mia had never spoken to them but she appreciated their apparent rule defying ways. How had they gotten into the small village undetected? No students were allowed out of the castle grounds without permission. Grabbing her bags, Mia made her way over to the pub to walk back to the castle with the professor.

Mia spent almost her whole Christmas break in the library. If she wasn't in the Library then she was at the Quidditch pitch with a warming spell, reading on the edge of the tall stands. Once Mia had copied all the information she wanted for her own research, Mia decided to go back to the original book on the herbology of the Forbidden Forest and do the assignment she’d promised Professor Sprout. As Mia was reading up on the different weeds of the forest, Mia came across one that jumped out to her. 

_ Silverweed. _

That was one of the ingredients she needed for her potion. Mia flipped through the book and found that all four of the last ingredients she needed could be found in the forest. Mia made notes about each plant (or bug in the horned slug's case) and the most likely places it could be found. And after her hour in the restricted section was up for the day, Mia went back to her trusty book 'Every Potions Ingredient Known and How to Use it: at least the ones the Ministry lets you know about' and started to look up the proper way to harvest each ingredient. The Silverweed was the only one that needed to be harvested at a certain time of the month, so Mia planned to go out two nights from that night during the waxing moon to get the ingredients. Mia loved how all of the subjects of magic seemed to roll into one. A good knowledge of Herbology was needed for potions making, and her astronomy classes helped her with Herbology. Not to mention Mia was using a potion to help her in the field of Transfiguration.

As Mia lay in bed listening to the wolves in the forbidden forest celebrate the moon, Mia wondered what in the world she was thinking! Was she really going into the  _ Forbidden _ forest to hunt for potions ingredients for a potion she wasn't planning on using? She didn't really care about breaking rules and she wasn't scared about what animals she would find in the forest. Her desire to complete her project and see it out to the end was too strong. But what was her reasoning for wanting to make this potion? Mia didn't like to do things without thinking through her motivation behind it. She liked to know she was in full control of her actions. But why did she want to make this illegal potion in the first place? Surely just making the potion could get her expelled from school.

Mia closed her eyes and hugged her Mooney Bear close to her chest as she drifted off to sleep. Images and memories of a dark haired man with a wide smile and wild gray eyes flashed threw her subconscious. The man would change his face into the face of a big black dog, lick her cheek and transform back with a barking laugh as he looked at the smile on his daughter's face. 

Mia dreamt happily and awoke the next morning with joy in her heart but no memory of her dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mia sure is going through a lot of effort for a potion she's not going to make.
> 
> I'm working on hiring a map maker for my ya/fantasy novel I'm publishing later this year. So much fun! I LOVE maps, my walls are covered with them, so I'm excited to finally have a professional map for the world I created.


	22. The Forest

It was Christmas morning, and Mia awoke super early, excited for the adventure she would be going on that night. She sat up and was heading to the bathroom when something caught her eye. There were a few shiny wrapped lumps at the end of her bed. Presents? Mia had never gotten a Christmas present before, unless you counted a rock to the head from Bradley. The mysterious RJL only ever sent birthday presents. Mia had never cared about getting presents, many of the kids in the orphanage didn't.

Mia knelt next to the small pile and saw two packages, she opened the first one to find a small pile of pumpkin pasties from Hermione. The second one was a book from Professor McGonagall. 'Potions for the Inventor at Heart'. This was a book with simple base potions that you could build off of to create your own potions if you understood enough about the subject. 

The fact that Professor McGonagall had given something this advanced to a first year showed the professor believed in Mia and wanted her to succeed, and Mia appreciated it immensely. Mia grabbed up some pumpkin pasties and her book and went down to the common room to steal one of the good arm chairs by the fire before the other students woke up. There weren't many Gryffindor's left for the holiday, so Mia didn't feel as much pressure to hide out. She spent a few hours reading the brilliant book and Mia got super inspired to try out some potions concoctions. 

Slowly the other students emerged from their rooms, some with presents in hand. Ron and Harry both came out wearing lumpy sweatshirts and looking rather excited. They saw Mia, and thanked her awkwardly for the presents. They invited her down to breakfast with them and Mia ran upstairs to put away her book.

She made a point to go up and thank Professor McGonagall for the wonderful book. She just blushed and made Mia promise to share all of her wonderful inventions with her. After breakfast Mia escaped up to her room and began preparing for her mission. She packed everything she needed for the supplies gathering into her knapsack and left it on her bed with her robes. She wanted to leave while it was still light out, but if she skipped the Christmas dinner feast, she knew Professor McGonagall would notice.

The feast was amazing. The great hall was beautiful and it was truly the most magical Christmas Mia had ever had. Mia made sure she didn't eat till stuffed like she wanted to. She wanted to still be agile for the long night ahead of her. She pulled a few wizards holiday crackers with Ron and Harry and got a funny pink wizards hat out of one cracker. Mia had a good time at the feast as there were only a few students and teachers left in the castle. Mia got to see a side of Professor Dumbledore she hadn't known was there as he paraded around in a flower bonnet he’d gotten in his cracker. 

As the festivities were wearing down, Mia slipped from the room. Mia was usually absent from meals and festivities so she knew no one would be surprised at her early disappearance.

The early darkness of winter was beginning to fall on the castle as Mia slipped her satchel filled with vials and harvesting materials over her head and snuck out of the castle. As Mia snuck across the frozen land and passed Hagrid's hut, she prayed no one in the almost deserted castle would look out a window and see her walking into the woods. The forest was well known as off limits and Mia tried to let her brain go and followed the bit of herself that said rule breaking was fun, into the forest.

She paused just into the tree line, hiding from view of the castle behind a large fir tree. Was she really doing this? It wasn't too late to go back. Mia looked into her satchel and made sure she had everything she needed, and once she was sure she had all of it she summoned all of her blind Gryffindor courage, pushed off the tree and started walking straight back into the forest. She quickly realized it was  _ very _ dark in the forest so she grabbed her wand and muttered  _ lumos _ and held the wand high enough so she could see.

Mia pulled out a compass and kept walking in the same direction into the forest, trying hard not to think about any of the magical creatures who were rumored to live in the dark woods. She may be able to talk a wolf out of eating her, but what about the centaurs? Mia would just have to make sure she didn't run into anything too scary. After about a half hour of walking Mia was starting to hear noises in the dense forest. Of course there were animals that lived there, and she occasionally heard the frightened scamper of a rabbit or mole who thought she was there to eat them.

To take her mind off of her stupid decision to come into the forest, Mia started looking for one of the blue pine trees that were rare, but could be found in the forest. It was at the base of this tree that Mia was most likely to find her ptolemy. It was a short clover like plant that grew under the fallen pine needles. Mia started hunting around the base of pine trees, rustling around, looking for one with blue needles, so she didn't hear the beginnings of pounding paws hitting the dead leaves or the panting breath of a large group of animals approaching. But then suddenly a pack of wolves burst out of the trees and circled around her. 

Mia was so scared, she didn't want to hex the beautiful creatures if they weren't planning on harming her, so she just froze with her wand out in front of her, light still shining on the end. The wolves were growling, but Mia hoped their opinion of her could be changed.

A large gray wolf with black across his legs, the leader of the pack, stepped forward and spoke with a growl. "Who are you to have crossed our domain?"

Mia bowed her head in respect, thinking fast on her feet so as not to be eaten. "Please forgive me, honorable Leader of the Pack. I do not have a nose as good as yours and was unable to tell when I entered into your land." The wolf didn't seem to expect her to answer as the large giant man who sometimes entered the forest never understood them. He took a step forward and sniffed the girl in front of him.

He knew the smell. "You are Witch Pup. You are friend of the Pack and will not be harmed here. Pack, learn her scent. She is friend." Mia was shocked at the words of the Wolf and even more shocked as the rest of the pack came up to her, some of the younger ones a little too eager with tails wagging and sniffed her.

"I am Fleetfoot, leader of the pack. This is Riveruner, my mate." He pointed his nose at a beautiful silver/gray wolf with black markings running down her back. The rest of the pack was introduced to her and Mia tried to remember most of the names. "Tell me Witch Pup, what brings you into the forest? Did our songs finally call you out at last?"

Mia thought about this for a moment. Were their songs really about her? Maybe Witch Pup was just the title given to all witches who could talk to animals, if there were any others that is. "I've been listening to your songs for a while now and they are very beautiful and I hoped to be able to meet you someday, but honestly my reason for coming to the forest tonight was to gather supplies."

"Gather supplies? You mean hunt. We can help you hunt. We are great hunters and the Pack will protect you from any of the other beasts of the forest." Fleetfoot ordered Riverunner and most of the Pack to continue the Hunt and to bring dinner back to the pups in the den, while he and Bearchaser helped Witch Pup to hunt her supplies. 

Fleetfoot and Bearchaser headed off with Mia into the forest as the rest of the wolves continued the Hunt. Mia explained to Fleetfoot what she was looking for and he told her that although wolves could not see color, he knew of a strange smelling pine tree and led her towards the grove it was in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: One of my favorite reviews of all time(Anon403) added a little something to Mia's Christmas morning, and I felt like I had to share:  
> Mia woke up to a pile of unexpected presents by her bed. This included one very large box with a note attached to it. She picked up the note and read Hagrid's rough, uneven handwriting.  
> "Yer father left this in my possession before he went to prison, it was time it was returned to you. Use it well."  
> She tore open the box to reveal a full-sized motorcycle.  
> She sat there stunned for a moment before she was able to react. Eventually, she was able to get out one word.  
> "Cool."


	23. Encounters

As they walked they talked. The Wolves seemed to love telling stories, and were endlessly curious about the life the Witch Pup led in the tall stone cave. Bearchaser was a large brown wolf who apparently got his name as a pup because he would stupidly try to play games with a bear cub. The mother had chased him away, but for his bravery they named him Bearchaser instead of Chasedbybear.

Once they’d walked and talked for a while, Mia finally got up the courage to ask a question she had been thinking on. "Fleetfoot? You said you have been calling for me. Why was that? I heard the songs but I didn't know they were for me."

Fleetfoot hoped over a fallen tree lightly as Mia struggled over it. "Pack was told to watch over you. And we can't watch over you if you stay up hidden in the stone all the time."

"But who told you to watch over me?" Mia couldn't believe it. Who else could talk to wolves? Was it someone in her family? Maybe an uncle who had her ability? Mia had quickly learned that talking with animals wasn't a common thing even among wizards, so she’d kept it to herself.

"Moonwalker." That was the only answer the wolf was offering, so Mia took it. They kept walking for a while until they came to a large tree that Fleetfoot sniffed. "This is the strange pine. Is it the tree you were looking for?"

Mia bent down holding her lighted wand up so she could see. Blue tinted pine needles lined the ground around the tree. "This is it! Now I just have to find the ptolemy." Mia got onto her hands and knees and started lightly lifting the pine needles not wanting to hurt the foliage underneath. She held her wand in her left hand and sifted with her right until she found it.

A small clover shaped plant that grew in a mass to create a sort of ground cover. Mia got out one of her large vials she’d brought with her. She carefully dug up the plant making sure she didn't damage the roots. This plant needed to stay connected to its roots to maintain its potency. Once she’d brushed off as much dirt as possible, she placed the plant into her vial, tucked it into her knapsack and stood up brushing off her clothes. The wolves were looking at her trying to understand what the Witch Pup found so interesting about the plants.

The next ingredient Mia needed was Saltpertr. This was a hard fungus that grew out from underneath the bark of a fir tree. Mia explained to the wolves that it would look like a thin white pokey rock that was growing out of the side of the tree. Fleetfoot thought this hunt was strange but a fun game so he led Mia in the direction of a small grove of fir trees. Mia told the wolves to keep an eye out for any Horned Slugs while they went since that was also on the list. The silverweed couldn't be collected until midnight when it would be the most potent.

As they headed towards the grove of trees Bearchaser had his nose in the leaves sniffing as they walked. He seemed to get a bad smell in his nose and sneezed. "Found a horned slug! Ew, horned slug's smell like Centaur droppings." Mia went over to where the wolf stood and lifted up the leaves to reveal a long fat and gooey slug with little purple horns down its back. Mia scooped it up into a vile and put it in her bag.

As she kept walking, she explained to the curious wolves how the slug affected the potion she was making. The wolves didn't understand the potion theory but they still found it interesting that a slug was important. Just then there was a strange rustling in the trees to the south of them. The wolves heard it before Mia and jumped around her to protect her from whatever it was. "What's coming?" Mia asked Fleetfoot.

"We can't tell, the wind is in the wrong direction. But don't worry; we can take on almost anything in this forest." Bearchaser got in front of her with his lips raised in a snarl, ready to attack anything that came out of the woods. Suddenly something big and pure white jumped from behind the tall leaves of a poison berry bush and landed directly in front of them. Mia looked up in awe as the large unicorn, glowing like the moon, stood tall in front of her.

"Wow." Mia was stunned. She knew unicorns were real, but somehow she just hadn't believed it. Mia remembered her manners that some magical creatures demanded and she bowed her head. "Forgive my rudeness; I wasn't expecting a creature as beautiful as you to come out from behind those trees."

"Your kind words are not necessary, most peculiar of witch girls, although they are appreciated. I had heard rumors in the trees that a young witch was roaming in the forest with the wolves, but I did not believe it." The wolves respectfully greeted the unicorn. "Tell me young witch, what brings you to this dangerous forest."

"Well Sir," for Mia could tell the unicorn was male, "I've come to collect potion ingredients that I couldn't find anywhere else."

"And what is this potion for?" The unicorn came in closer to Mia.

"It's purely for academic reasons, I want the practice of brewing difficult potions."

"You lie." It was not a question, it wasn't even an accusation. It was a statement. The unicorn didn't seem upset or offended or surprised. He was simply stating the fact as if it was the weather. "Did you know unicorns can tell when someone lies? No, I don't imagine you would know that. The wizards' knowledge of our race is limited as we do not like wizards very much. So tell me young witch, what is the true reason you brew this potion."

"I wish to become an Animagus." Mia knew there was no reason to hide the truth from this fantastic beast. He wouldn't tell anyone, he couldn't tell anyone. But that wasn't the truth; Mia didn't really want to become an Animagus! She just wanted to learn the potion; she wasn't going to use it. The unicorn must realize she’d lied the second time. But the unicorn didn't challenge her answer.

"That is a noble task. I can see you hold much value in all life, even that of simple beasts. There are very few who can communicate with animals. It is an ability to be treasured. Do not take it lightly."

"Thank you Sir. I won't."

"Lastly, before I leave you this night, I wish to give you a warning and a gift. There is great evil lurking in this forest, and I advise that you do not spend more time here than you must. You are safe with the wolves, for I know they will protect you from most harm. But do not venture off without them. As for the gift, please take a hair from my mane. I know wizards hold them as valuable. Perhaps it will come in useful in the future." Mia reached up and ran her fingers threw the silky mane and a hair came free in her hand. The unicorn met Mia's gaze one last time with its beautiful pearl eye.

"Use it well." And with that the unicorn left just as quickly as it came. 

The wolves spent a few minutes complaining about the rudeness of unicorns as Mia placed the shining white hair into a vial and sealed it shut. Mia had read it was considered great luck to be given a gift from a magical beast. Mia would make sure not to treat it lightly.

Fleetfoot barked to get her attention. "Is that your saltpertr?" 

Mia looked up at the tree to her left where Fleetfoot was pointing with his nose and saw a rock hard fungus growing from the side of the tree.

Mia smiled. "Thank you Fleetfoot, I never would have seen that."

"Of course not, females are always distracted by shiny things, and unicorns are very shiny." 

Mia laughed at the joke and stepped up to the tree. She got out her short knife with the silver blade and started peeling away the bark. Saltpertr was a rock hard fungus and was very hard to break. Sometimes a wizard would use a cutting or exploding spell to remove the plant, but for Mia's potion, using magic would change the properties of the ingredient too much.

Later Mia would use a hammer to break it up for her potion, but she had decided the best way to harvest it was to peel up the bark covering the base of the fungus where it attached to the tree and then pry the whole thing off. This process only took about forty five minutes. At the end of her struggle with the fungus she was breathing heavily and stuffed the whole thing into her bag. She looked at her watch. It was fifteen minutes until midnight, and Mia needed to find her silverweed.

Mia turned to Fleetfoot. "We need to find some silverweed fast!" The wolves took off running in opposite directions. Mia started looking around where she was for the plant when a howl came from her left. Fleetfoot had found it. Mia took off running towards the wolf and Bearchaser caught up to her, running after her and telling her to go faster. Mia wanted to point out that she was human and couldn't run as fast as him but she was too busy breathing to talk.

Mia ran into a small clearing with Bearchaser flanking her. Fleetfoot was standing next to a small shrub wagging his tail. "I found it! Is it time yet?"

Mia looked at her watch. "Good job Fleetfoot. We still have a minute." Mia dropped to her knees next to the plant and pulled out her scissors. Most people cut the plant just above the roots, but her book had told her that the chemical in the silverweed plant that gave it its potency was in the very tip of the long leaf. When you cut it the chemical spreads through the whole leaf, so if you cut it at the base, it lowers the potency of the weed. So Mia watched the time and at exactly midnight, cut the weed in the middle of the leaf. She placed the weed into her vial. That was it. Mia had everything she needed.

Mia and the wolves began the long walk back to the edge of the forest. It was over an hour before they came in view of the edge of the forest. Mia wished the wolves good night, thanking them for all their help and promising to come to see them again. They had been good companions and Mia loved talking to them.

It was late, and Mia was tired. She was also very aware that it was well after midnight, and Christmas break or no Christmas break, if Mia was caught out of bed she would be in serious trouble. Mia snuck across the grounds and into the castle. She was almost to the landing in front of the portrait of the fat lady when Harry and Ron suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "What are you two doing out of bed?" Harry stuffed a shiny cloak up his shirt when he saw her.

Ron was quicker with his thoughts. "Shouldn't we be asking you the same question?"

Harry stepped between the two short tempered teens and stopped them from waking the castle. "How about we all just agree that we didn't see each other? Deal?" Mia and Ron both grudgingly nodded and Harry spoke the password to the half asleep painting who angrily questioned why they were out of bed. Ron told her to mind herself and they climbed inside.

That night Mia held her Moony Bear and wondered if there was any connection to the wolves in the forest and the wolf in her arms. Finally she fell asleep to the wolves in the forest singing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone remember where Harry and Ron just got back from?


	24. Snooping

After Christmas life in the castle quickly returned to the normal rhythm of classes and school work. Now that Mia had all of the ingredients for her potion and realized how hard they had been to collect, she decided the best thing to do would be to study the process for making the potion and prepare it on paper a hundred times before ever putting a caldron to the flame.

The first way Mia was doing this was by going back to her faithful book, 'Every Potions Ingredient Known and How to Use it: at least the ones the Ministry lets you know about', and listing out the ingredients' properties and the best way to handle it.

As she walked up to the table she heard the last few words of Hermione's sentence "-maybe then we can find Flamel." They stopped their whispers as Mia sat down and all of them looked at her strangely.

"What? Is there something on my face?" They had been doing this a lot lately, flipping through books and whispering with heads together. Mia didn't mind being kept out of the loop, but if they were looking for something shouldn't they ask her? She had been poring over almost every book in the library for months now.

"Oh sorry Mia, we just weren't expecting you." Mia ignored this last statement and opened the giant book about potions ingredients she was carrying and started reading. She acted unfazed by their hushed behavior.

"You know if it's Nicolas Flamel you're looking for, you should look in the Alchemy section. I think he was pretty famous a few hundred years ago."

Alchemy was a branch of Transfiguration and Mia had come across his name a time or two in her search. But as the words left her mouth Hermione squeaked and Ron and Harry looked at her with shock. "What? Was that not the Flamel you were looking for?" Without another word Hermione disappeared to the Alchemy section and started pulling down books and Ron and Harry went over to help.

Mia ignored them and started searching the book for goosegrass and started copying the special characteristics the ingredient had and how to prepare it.

Mia was working on copying the properties of saltpertr when she grew distracted. Harry, Ron and Hermione had rushed out of the library a while ago with looks of excitement on their faces, and Mia was lonely. She’d grown used to being by herself, but that didn't mean she liked it.

Most of the students in the castle had at least started ignoring her, but no one other than Harry, Ron and Hermione made any kind of effort to talk to her. Even so, the trio seemed to be in their own little secret world. Mia was fine being out of the loop, she hadn't told them about her Animagus research so she didn't expect them to be forthcoming with their secrets, but she still wished she was a part of whatever mischief they were doing.

She was just so bored with school work and research. She wasn't going to brew her potion until summer when the castle was empty so until then, there was nothing challenging or exciting left to do after she’d gone into the forest.

Just then a rare sight met Mia's eyes. The Weasley twins entered the library. This was a rare thing because the red haired twins usually never studied. Mia, who spent much of her time in the library, had only ever seen the boys enter once or twice, and each time they snuck over to different sections of the library and spoke in whispers before checking out a few books and leaving.

Mia knew this definitely wasn't studying. Honestly Mia didn't know what they were doing, but they always did it in secret. This visit was exactly like the rest, Mia in her extreme boredom watched the twins every move like it was the most interesting thing she’d ever seen.

Mia had never spoken to the two older boys, but she knew them well as they were known as the school's biggest pranksters. So if they were in the library doing research, Mia was sure it was for a prank of some kind. 

This intrigued Mia endlessly. 

They were over by the section on potion ingredients and properties, frantically flipping through books and whispering harshly. The first twin (Mia had no idea with one he was) grabbed a few books and shoved them into his brother's hands whispering something and then promptly started walking towards the front desk.

Mia noticed he was wearing mittens on his hands and kept itching at them. He looked frustrated. The remaining twin was fumbling over the large books he’d been handed and managed to balance them along a few crammed under an arm and one thin book in his teeth and he carefully walked over to his brother.

Half way across the room one of the books slipped and he scrambled to catch it with his elbow but as he moved, a piece of folded parchment fell from his robs pocket and he didn't notice. The insubordinate side of Mia pretended not to notice the dropped property until the twins had checked out all the books and escaped out the door.

After they left, Mia walked over to one of the isles as if getting a book, and bent down and retrieved the parchment. Once back at her desk, Mia unfolded the worn parchment and was shocked at what she saw. This was a recipe for a potion that it looked like the twins were trying to invent.

The parchment had lots of notes in the margins and things scribbled out and rewritten, but Mia could understand it and it actually looked promising. From what Mia could tell this recipe was made to be an additive to a topical product and when applied to the skin and mixed with water it was supposed to change the pigment of the person's skin. The Weasley Twins were trying to dye someone purple by using their body wash!

This was genius! But they hadn't finished it yet. From the notes at the bottom it looked like their current product was just causing blisters that oozed purple and green puss. It made sense why the twin was wearing gloves, they probably were testing the product on themselves.

Mia read through the ingredients and the process they’d developed, trying to figure out what they had done wrong. The bonding ingredient in the base was crushed flobberworms, and they added leech spleen to fuse the color of the powley leaves which were the purple color they wanted.

Then she saw it.

They were using powdered lionfish spine to make the color brighten when someone tried to scrub it off. Then it fades instantly after a week of bright color. This really was an ingenious mix, but Mia found their flaw. Flobberworms mixed with the lionfish spine cause extreme irritation. If they used puffer fish skin instead of the flobberworms for the base, it would remove the bad reaction and act as an enhancer to the color of the powley.

Mia shoved the parchment into her pocket and packed up all of her research material and headed back to Gryffindor tower. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Fred and George.


	25. A Very Messy Room

When she entered the portrait hole she was saddened to see that the red haired duo was not in the room. Ron and Harry were sitting in a few chairs by the fire so Mia went over to Ron and asked if he’d seen his brothers.

"Yeah, they’re up stairs in their room with Lee, but why do you care?" Ron looked at Mia accusingly.

"They dropped something in the library and I wanted to give it back to them." 

Ron looked at her like he still didn't believe her. "Fine, why don't you just hand it to me and I can give it to them next time I see them?" Mia hated that Ron refused to trust her. He was obviously quick to judge and wasn't easily trusting, but Hermione and Harry trusted her, wasn't that enough?

"Look Weasley, it's really none of your business, so you can either help me and get your brothers or you can shove off, your choice." Ok so maybe Ron and Mia didn't click because they both had explosive tempers. Ron opened his mouth to fight back but Harry kicked him in the leg. After exchanging a sharp glance, Ron turned and disappeared up the stairs towards the boy's dorm.

"You know you don't make it easy on him to like you." Harry always seemed to be the voice of reason. Mia flopped into the chair Ron had just left.

"I know but he's just so easy to get riled up. I just can't help myself." Mia gave a wicked grin to Harry as the three Weasley boys came back down the stairs. Mia jumped out of Ron's chair and beckoned him to sit down. Ron just glared at her and sat. The Weasley twins came up to Mia with arms crossed looking at her curiously.

"As much as we love seeing ickle Ronnikins all riled up like this," the first twin spoke.

"We do still have to ask," then the next one spoke.

"What is it the dreaded daughter of Sirius Black wants with us?" And back to the first twin. 

The boys kept switching talkers in the middle of their sentence. While this would usually be a bit confusing, they seemed to pull it off and it made perfect sense to Mia.

Usually a comment about her heritage would have made her mad, but the twins said it with a smile on their face and in an obviously joking way. "Well I just saw you drop this earlier, and I thought you might need it back seeing as how it's not finished." Mia pulled the parchment out of her pocket with a smirk and the four identical eyes grew large in shock.

The first twin still wearing his gloves, grabbed the note and hit his brother in the head with it. "I told you! You dropped it!" 

Realizing there were many prying eyes on them listening into the strange conversation, the second twin grabbed his brother and made to pull him up to his dorm.

"Wait!" Mia couldn't help herself. "Would you like to know how to fix it?" The twins just gave her a look like they were sizing her up, then they looked knowingly at each other and then all at once, they each grabbed an arm and pulled Mia onto the boys staircase and pulled her up the stairs. They stopped on the landing with a door with a little gold three on it and pushed it open. Mia was shocked with how messy the room was. These were thirteen year old boys, but did they have to live like this?

The room was a mess. There were old robes lying on the floor, quidditch supplies covered in mud heaped in a corner, and books and paper lying in crooked stacks on all the desks. There were 4 four poster beds in the room and not one of them was made. There were even empty bottles and candy rappers lying about and the whole room had a faint smell of corn chips.

In the corner of the room there was a desk with a cauldron and a bunch of potions ingredients thrown around. Lee Jordan was standing at this desk routing through the trash as if looking for something when Mia and the twins came in.

The second twin pulled a blanket strait on one of the beds and twin number one pushed her to sit down next to the stack of library books they had just gotten. Lee came over from the caldron in the corner and stood with the two red heads, arms crossed, and all of them looked down on her intimidating like.

"Ok"

"Spill."

Mia looked around at the mess. "So is your other roommate really ok living in here while you three brew toxic potions?"

"It's not toxic!" This was Lee Jordan.

"Well that's where you're wrong." Mia gestured to twin number one's gloved hands. "The combination of the flobberworms and the lionfish spine create a mild toxic formula that created those boils."

The second twin elbowed his brother. "I told you it wasn't the caterpillar guts."

"So how do you know all this?" Twin number one.

"First off, can you guys tell me your names? This is getting confusing in my head."

The twin with the gloved hands spoke first. "I'm Fred, he's George," Fred pointed to his twin. "And he's Lee." He pointed to the taller black boy.

Lee spoke up. "But don't even try to keep them straight; they like to switch on people sometimes just to keep us on our toes."

George smiled. "Now tell us Miss Black, how you, a first year, can help us three men with our potion."

"Well I'm not even going to mention the fact that I'm probably smarter than the three of you  _ boys _ put together, but let's just say, I'm the best in my potions class, and I've spent quite a bit of time researching the subject."

"Ok so if you're so smart, what should we do to neutralize the reaction of the flobberworms and the lionfish spine?"

Lee spoke up, "What if we added porcupine quills, like in the boils cure potion?" The twins looked at him like he was a genius.

"Are you kidding me?" Mia was shocked these were third years. "The quills will react with the flitterbloom, and it  _ will _ explode." The boys looked puzzled by this.

"How do you know all this? Did you memorize the potion we made or something?" Fred scratched at his boil covered hands as he spoke.

"I just read a lot." Mia didn't like admitting she didn't have a life. "Look if you want to make it work, you can exchange the flobberworms for puffer fish skin. It would remove the bad reaction and it would also make the color brighter. And speaking of witch, did you break the stems off of the powley before you added it in?"

The boys just gave her a dumbfounded look.

"I didn't think so. That's why there was the added green in the boils. If you don't take off the entire green stem you will get splotches of green on whomever you are planning on dying."

At this the three boys got defensive. "Now what would make you think we would ever use something like this on a fellow student?"

"Really, it's like you think we're animals."

"Wait! You're a girl? Should you even be in the boy's dorm?"

"You should leave before you get us in trouble!"

"Seriously! We can't be caught breaking rules! It would ruin our perfect record!"

Mia just laughed at their words as she stood up and brushed the filth off of her robes. "You know you guys should really clean in here." And with that she left the dorm and went up to her own room to read.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like Mia's new friends?


	26. The Philosopher's Stone

The next few months seemed to blur by in a wave of school work and studying. Mia made sure to sneak down to the forest once in awhile after classes to spend time with her Pack. They loved to tell her stories about fights they had and games they played. Mia especially loved to play with the pups.

There were three that had been born that season, and they hadn't developed personalities enough yet to earn names in the pack. The little white and gray one was Mia's favorite. He loved to climb up high and jump down on her when she wasn't expecting it. Mia named him Pouncer and Fleetfoot approved the name. Mia loved her new wolf family. If she ever did become an Animagus, Mia hoped she became a wolf.

One day, Mia woke up early and was reading in the common room. There were only a few people down there, Fred, George and Lee all came down the stairs, dressed and ready for class way earlier than Mia had ever seen them up before. She knew something must have been up as they all sat in chairs with a good view of the staircase.

"What are you three up to?" The boys just gave Mia a look of evil and turned back to whispering and glancing at the staircase. Mia shrugged and went back to her reading. Not even two minutes later a high piercing scream came from the boy's dorm staircase and the three trouble makers all looked at each other. What came out of the staircase next made Mia fall over in a fit of laughter.

A red haired purple boy in a white bathrobe came down the stairs in a fit of anger. Percy Weasley marched across the common room, completely purple faced (literally) and stopped dead before his brothers. All of the common room lost in laughter except for Fred and George who stayed straight faced with innocent eyes.

"What the BLOODY HELL have you done to me!" Percy was dripping wet and steaming with anger.

Fred held a completely composed face and spoke clearly. "Now brother dearest, what would make you ever think it was us?

George cut in. "Really Percival, it's like you don't trust us or something." Percy let out a banshee's scream in their face and went back up the stairs as if to go scrub off his skin. "Do you think we should tell him scrubbing only makes it brighter?"

"No dear brother, I think we should let him find out for himself." The twins both gave wicked grins to the other and then walked over to Mia.

"Miss Amelia, none of this would have been possible without you and your amazing brain."

"We are forever in your debt." And with that both twins bowed.

"Please, call me Mia. And seriously, anytime you need help perfecting something, feel free to stop by. I really enjoyed figuring out how to fix it."

George nodded. "Will do."

Fred slapped George on the back. "Come brother, let's see if we can find a camera so that Percy can remember this week for the rest of his life." And with another evil grin they were gone.

Before Mia knew it, final exams were quickly approaching and she put away her research on the Animagus potion to study. Most of the school was studying and cramming but Hermione seemed to be the most frantic. It was as if she was already studying for her NEWT's and was sure she would fail.

It was about a week before exams and Mia was lying in bed trying to go over every charm they had learned that year in her head. She noticed as it got later into the night, that Hermione still hadn't come to bed. She fell asleep well after midnight with the bushy haired girl still missing.

Mia awoke the next morning and saw Hermione finally in bed. Maybe she’d fallen asleep in the common room studying again. Mia snuck down to get her breakfast before classes and she walked past the giant hourglasses that told the house points and was shocked to see that the Gryffindor hourglass had lost almost all of its points putting Gryffindor in last place.

They had been in the lead after all of their Quidditch games. Mia knew she was disliked by most of her class but she still had pride in her house.

As the next few days wore on, it came out it was because of Harry, Hermione and Neville that their house was losing. Mia was suddenly aware that she was no longer the most hated student in the school. But she could tell it was a new feeling for Harry after being the most loved student and Quidditch hero for so long.

The students in question had detention a few nights later and Mia tried to calm Hermione by telling her the Forbidden Forest really wasn't that bad. Hermione didn't believe her since, as far as she was concerned, Mia had never been in the forest before. Mia waited up for Hermione that night to make sure she was ok after her detention.

When asked how it had gone, Hermione had just shivered and climbed into bed. She told Mia about the dead unicorn and a part of Mia was frightened that it was the same unicorn that she had met.

Before she knew it, Final Exams had come and passed. Mia thought she’d done really well on all of them except for transfiguration which she once again only passed because the written portion outweighed the practical side. Mia was out on the grounds of Hogwarts enjoying the beauty of the day when she saw Harry, Ron and Hermione running to Hagrid's hut with panic in their eyes.

Mia didn't think much of it and went out to the Quidditch pitch to read through her Animagus potion notes. Now that exams were over, Mia was back on track to making her potion. She would be staying at the castle over the summer since she had nowhere else to go, and Mia planned to use the deserted school as the perfect opportunity to brew her potion. That night Mia realized once again Hermione never came to bed, and Mia just prayed they didn't lose any more house points.

The next morning Mia rose before any of her housemates and took a book down to the common room. Mia saw someone passed out on the floor. Thinking it was someone who passed out after celebrating the end of exams, she went to wake the person up when she saw it was Neville. He had a full body bind placed on him and seemed to have spent the night silently crying. Mia muttered the counter spell and helped Neville sit up. "Neville! What happened to you?"

Neville whimpered. "Her-Hermione hexed me!"

"What!"

"Ron, H-Harry and Hermione were leaving and I didn't want Gr-Gryffindor to lose any more points so I tried to stop them and she hexed me!" He started whimpering in full force and was so distraught he didn't even seem to mind it was Mia who led him to the portrait hole.

"You did the right thing Neville, come on, let me help you to the hospital wing, then we can call for Professor McGonagall." Neville didn't seem hurt, but after being bound all night he was very stiff and emotionally unstable so Mia decided to let the school nurse handle it.

When they got to the hospital wing, Mia was surprised to see Professor McGonagall already there. And Professor Dumbledore, and half the other staff, with Hermione and Ron laying on beds frantically explaining something to them. Mia also saw Harry passed out on another cot a ways away. What had happened last night?

As they entered the room Professor McGonagall saw Mia carrying the limping Neville in. "Oh please not more hurt students! Miss Black, what happened here?"

"Professor, I woke up early and found Neville on the ground with a full body bind placed on him. I lifted it but he seemed a little shaken up so I brought him up here." Neville was looking with horror at Hermione and didn't add anything to the story.

"Mr. Longbottom, who did this to you?" Madam Pomfrey had set him on an empty cot and was taking his pulse but all Neville could do was point, right at Hermione. "Miss GRANGER! You attacked a fellow student?"

Hermione and Ron noticed Neville for the first time, and a look of regret came over her face. "I'm so sorry Neville, but we had to! He tried to stop us and if we hadn't gotten there in time Professor Sna- I mean Quirrell would have stolen the stone and You-Know-Who would have won!" Snape glared at the foolish girl who seemed to want to accuse him, but Professor Dumbledore was the first to talk.

"Well now, it seems we do have a bit of a situation here, but the worst is over with. How about we all leave this conversation here and let the students rest?" The teachers followed Professor Dumbledore out of the hospital wing and left the students. After giving Neville a potion to calm him, Madam Pomfrey told Neville and Hermione they were free to go. Ron had to stay for the rest of the day, and Harry would be there until he woke up.

As soon as they were out of the room, Hermione turned to Neville and started apologizing profusely. Mia stopped her, and asked the question that was on both her and Neville's mind. "So what exactly happened last night?"

Hermione told them all about the Philosopher's Stone and how they discovered that You-Know-Who was using the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor to steal the stone so that he could regain his body. She told them all about the things guarding the stone and how they had gotten through. Then Hermione explained that Harry had gone on to face the teacher all alone and that they didn't know exactly what happened, but when Dumbledore arrived Professor Quirrell was dying and Harry was unconscious and holding the stone. Neville left after that and started spreading the story. It wasn't long before the whole school knew. Hermione and Mia were worried for Harry. Ron would be fine after he got patched up, but no one knew if Harry would ever wake up.

Three days later Harry did in fact wake up. It had been a bit of a shock when he found out that the fight was all over and they had won. There had been a Quidditch match played and lost by the rest of Harry's team in his absence and the whole of Gryffindor was in mourning over the lost game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Missed posting over the weekend, so just added 3 chapters today! We are almost at the end of year 1, and then the real fun starts!


	27. End of Term

The next two weeks before the end of the school year were completely different from the previous two weeks of students cramming for exams. Most students spent the long days outside in the warm early summer air, lounging under trees or playing pickup games of Quidditch. A few days after Harry woke up from the hospital wing the test results came in from all the final exams for the students not taking their OWL's or NEWT's who would have to wait a few more weeks. Mia was delighted to see that she got O's and E’s in all of her classes except one.

Transfiguration. 

Mia had gotten an A for acceptable. Mia really needed to figure out the practical side of transfiguration. She didn't like doing so badly in her class. If it wasn't for her positive score on the written side of the test Mia could have easily failed. Even Neville seemed to do better than her in transfiguration spell work. It was as if she just couldn't wrap her head around making her wand cooperate.

Finally the last day of term was upon the castle and all the students were in the great hall for the end of term feast. Three fourths of the castle were eating their meal in gloom as the Slytherins were celebrating their victory. After the meal Professor Dumbledore stood up and announced he had a few last minute points to award before they announced the house cup. Everyone was shocked and excited as Professor Dumbledore awarded house points to The Gryffindor heroes. 50 to Ron, 50 to Hermione, 60 to Harry and now they were tied.

Then after a dramatic pause Professor Dumbledore awarded 10 points to Neville for standing up to his classmates, and with that they had won. Three fourths of the room started cheering and Professor Dumbledore changed the decorations to scarlet and gold. Mia was so happy. Her house had won! She looked onto the Headmaster with glee. The old man was grinning as though enjoying the joke of the last minute change.

The next morning all of the students were making their way out to the entrance hall to leave for the Hogwarts Express. Hermione pulled Mia down to the common room to say her goodbyes. Harry and Ron were both waiting there to see her. Mia was shocked at the gesture but just smiled at them.

"We just wanted to say thank you for your help with beating Voldemort." Harry spoke the name with confidence and Mia was surprised to hear it. Hermione and Ron both flinched.

"We never would have done it without your tip on Flamel. Thank you." Hermione smiled at her and nudged Ron in the side.

Ron seemed to agree and stuck his hand out in a 'truce' sort of way. Mia smiled and took the hand. "Friends?"

"Friends. Have a good summer holiday." Mia tried to look happy for them all going off to their own homes.

"What are you going to do here all summer?"

"Oh don't worry, I have plans." Mia smiled a devilish grin and walked up to the common room as the other students all left. Now all she needed was to find a place to brew her potion.

She knew there were no other students in the castle to discover what she was doing, but she still had to look out for the few teachers who would be staying over the summer. Her first option she thought of for her potions lab was Moaning Myrtle's bathroom on the second floor.

No one ever went in there and there was no reason any of the teachers would find it suspicious if she was found entering or exiting the bathroom. Mia dismissed the idea almost immediately.

' _ Who would brew a potion in a bathroom?' _ Mia thought of just using one of the older classrooms on the 5th floor that were never even used during the school year, but they were all kept pretty clean meaning someone went in there occasionally to dust.

Mia even thought of just brewing it in her dorm, but somehow this didn't feel safe and secret enough. Mia had resorted to just searching the entire castle for a secret place that would work, maybe a forgotten broom closet. Mia had started on the first floor and had made it all the way to the 6th floor, skipping lunch and dinner. It was almost seven hours after the other students had left on their school break, and Mia was just coming out of a broom cupboard on the 6th floor when someone spoke.

"Miss Black, I was wanting a word with you." Mia jumped so high at the words of Professor McGonagall that she even let off a slight burst of uncontrolled magic that created a thin shield of magic around her and then faded in a faint gold shimmer. Mia looked down with embarrassment. It had been a while since she’d lost control like that, and that was a very dangerous thing to do. Luckily it was just defense magic and not attack, or Mia would have gotten into a lot of trouble.

"Now that was quite a bit of unintentional magic. I apologize for startling you. Do tell me, what are you doing in that broom cupboard? I've been looking for you for quite some time before Professor Dumbledore suggested I look up here."

"Oh, well I just figured since I'm going to be at Hogwarts all summer, I might as well get to know the school a bit better. I've been trying to find my way around the disappearing stairways." Mia didn't even have to think about the lie as it flowed out of her mouth. The Professor just nodded at her excuse.

"Yes, well there were a few things I was hoping to discuss with you about your stay at Hogwarts over the summer. If you would follow me to my office, maybe we could discuss it over some tea. Mixy?" Suddenly a small house elf wearing a tea cozy appeared with a  _ crack _ . The house elf turned to Professor McGonagall and bowed low, her big ears flopping as she went.

"What can Mixy do for you Madam Professor McGonagall?"

"Mixy, would you mind bringing a tray of tea to my office for Miss Black and myself?"

"Yes, Madam Professor!" And with that the house elf bowed once more and disappeared with another  _ crack. _

As Mia turned to follow the professor, she noticed McGonagall peer behind her into the old cluttered closet but she pretended not to notice. The Professor led Mia down to the ground level to the transfiguration classroom and into her office. She gestured for Mia to take a seat in one of the comfy chairs and she took the other one. There was a tray with tea and small sandwiches sitting on the table between the two chairs.

Professor McGonagall poured Mia a cup of tea and then took one for herself. "Now Miss Amelia, I wanted to talk to you about this summer. Clearly you will be the only student staying in the castle over the summer holiday. You will of course not be alone, there are a few teachers who call Hogwarts their home year around. Myself, being one, as well as Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, and Professor Kettleburn." Mia was a little worried but didn't show it. Was this going to be one of those conversations proving that Mia's whole summer was planned and she wouldn't have the freedom to work on her potion?

"Now this summer will be a little different from the school year. We do still expect you to follow all school rules such as out of bound areas, and curfew, but I understand your desire to explore. We will not be patrolling the corridors and policing the grounds like we usually do during the year, we will instead be  _ trusting _ you to respect our rules." Professor McGonagall gave Mia a stern look at this.

Could it be? Would Mia really have the freedom she needed?

"My only request is that you come to at least one meal in the great hall a day, and that you have tea here with me once a week on Monday nights, just to check in and chat. I know you have been quite a solitary person in your schooling so far, but total isolation is never healthy, so I hope you understand my desire to spend some time with you. I enjoy your company as well and it can get a little starved for female companionship with all of the men in the castle over the summer." Professor McGonagall smiled over her tea cup. "You will find the castle tends to become a much more relaxed place over the summer." Mia was glad to hear this. It would be difficult to work on her project if the teachers expected to know her whereabouts all summer. "How does that sound?"

Mia smiled. "That sounds great Professor. I'm excited to do lots of studying over the summer and maybe even test out a potion or two in that book you gave me." Mia smiled inwardly as she thought of all the time she would have in the library to read, but then a dark thought crossed her mind. "Oh, but Professor, the library? Madam Pince won't be here over the summer, but will I still be allowed into the library?"

Professor McGonagall smiled that one of Mia's main concerns would be having access to the books. "Oh, well yes of course. I'm sure Madam Pince won't mind you being in there as long as you put everything back where it belongs and keep the place neat. And of course you won't be allowed into the restricted section." Mia was fine with this. She’d gotten all the information she needed for her animagus project, and she had completed the essay for Professor Sprout ages ago.

Mia and the Professor spent another hour or so just chatting and Mia ate several of the sandwiches Mixy had brought them as a late dinner. Then Mia bid the professor goodnight and headed up to Gryffindor tower for bed. Mia planned to eat breakfast in the great hall, and then would resume her search for a makeshift potions lab.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does Mia's summer sound boring? Don't worry, there will be a few small turns.


	28. A Chance Encounter

The next morning Mia awoke early and was very hungry. She realized she hadn't eaten much the previous day so she took her shower and headed down to the great hall. She was a little surprised to see the hall had been cleared out of the house tables. Only one smaller table was left for the reduced members of the castle.

Professor McGonagall was already present so Mia pulled up a chair and sat next to her. Slowly a few more teachers began filing in and made small talk with each other over breakfast. Not all the teachers had cleared out of the castle yet as some of them wanted to spend a student free week cleaning up their classrooms for the summer.

Professor Dumbledore was notably absent. While Mia was spreading jam over her toast the morning owl post flew in and dropped off the mail. Mia had ordered a subscription to the daily prophet so she paid the paper owl and untied the rolled up news print and set it aside. After telling Professor Sprout her plans for the day, (a little exploration and some light reading), Mia made her way out of the great hall with her paper in hand. She decided to read it up in the owlery so that she would be closer to the 6th floor to resume her searching for a potions lab when she was done.

* * *

Remus Lupin appeared on the edges of Hogsmead at lunch time, and started walking towards the large castle that had been his home for seven of the best years of his life. It was the day after the end of term in Hogwarts and all of the students had left for the summer holidays the morning before. Remus had a meeting with Professor Dumbledore set for just after lunch and he was a bit early. Remus was so excited there was an actual skip in his step.

He was meeting with the Headmaster regarding a teaching position. Professor Dumbledore had scheduled a meeting with the board of trustees that morning to discuss his desire to hire Remus. It was more of a formality as the board, and the ministry for that matter, usually just let Dumbledore do whatever he wanted to do. So now Remus was headed to the school to discuss the plans for the following year.

Remus entered the castle and looked at his watch. He was about forty-five minutes early for his meeting and didn't want to interrupt the headmasters lunch so he decided to do a little exploring of his old home. He walked through the corridors and remembered all the joyful times he had as a boy running the halls with his best friends.

Remus knew those days were over and now his only wish was that he could form new memories with his goddaughter and hopefully reform some semblance of the family he’d once had. He wondered as he wandered the halls if his Mia Bell was still in the castle. He knew she wouldn't have been sent back to the orphanage for the summer, but she had most likely made friends and would spend most of the summer with them.

Time got away from Remus as he wandered the 7th floor aimlessly. He was snapped out of his day dreaming as he heard someone opening and closing doors down the passageway just up ahead. He figured it was probably a teacher and he quickened his pace hoping to see a familiar face and future colleague. As he turned the corner into the passageway something light and short slammed into him. Surprised, he reached out and grabbed the something around the shoulders before it fell to the ground. He looked down into the shocked eyes of his Mia Bell.

"Oh! Sorry Professor! I wasn't looking where I was-" Mia's eyes filled with recognition as she realized who she’d bumped into. "Professor Lupin?"

Remus was still looking at the beautiful young girl with shock. This was his goddaughter, his Mia Bell, right here before him. She’d grown at least an inch since the last time he’d seen her, her dark hair was pulled away from her stunningly blue eyes with one of the blue ribbons he’d given her for her birthday. His heart filled with warmth. He just wanted to scoop her up and wrap his arms around her and never let go.

He wanted to tell her everything, tell her all the good about her parents and her father's early days, tell her how loved she’d been by her mother and by him, tell her how much he had missed her and make up for all the missed birthdays and good night songs. He wanted to take her home right then and there to spend the rest of the summer with him, going through old photo albums and talking about her studies.

"Professor Lupin?" she spoke again, but this time not with surprise, this time it was with confusion at the strange man who wouldn't let go of her. He snapped back to reality.

"Oh, sorry, my dear." Remus let go of her and took a step back straightening himself. "I wasn't expecting to see anyone up here. Tell me, it was Miss Black is that right? We met in Diagon Alley." Remus was chickening out quickly; he couldn't do it, not like this. Maybe once she had gotten to know him a bit better and he could explain himself to her fully. He couldn't tell her the whole story just now. It would be too much for someone to handle hearing, too much for him to handle telling.

"Oh yes, it's Mia actually." Mia looked the older man in the eyes. He did look so familiar, why couldn't she remember why?

"We'll, Miss Mia, tell me, what are you doing still in the castle? I thought all the students had left for the holidays." Remus wanted to know why she was still here. Surely she had somewhere to go.

Mia looked down with shame. "Oh, well I didn't really have anywhere else to go." Remus felt horrible. Why did he have to bring it up? Clearly the young girl felt abandoned. If only she knew the truth?

Maybe Professor Dumbledore would let Remus move into the castle early, just to give him some time to get to know the young girl before the term started. Then she wouldn't be all alone.

"Well I'm glad you have somewhere like Hogwarts to call home. I don't know what I would have done without this place when I was your age. Trust me Mia, you aren't alone here." Remus couldn't say anymore. He just wanted to pick the girl up and swing her around. He needed to get away before he did something rash. He couldn't tell her all that he wanted to before he talked to Dumbledore.

Remus Lupin turned and walked down the closest staircase in a hurry. He wiped a single tear off his cheek as he walked away from his Mia Bell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Remus teaching in year two??? How do you think that will go?


	29. Just What’s Required

Professor Dumbledore wouldn't appreciate it if Remus told Mia everything before he had officially gotten the Ministry to lift the restraining order. There would be plenty of time to spend talking to Mia in the next semester after the summer holidays. Mooney just had to get through the next two moons and he would be with her.

He summoned all of his Gryffindor strength as he approached the stone gargoyles and spoke the password Professor Dumbledore had given him in his letter. 

_Chocolate Frogs._

The gargoyle jumped aside for him. He ascended the stairs and knocked on the door. His excitement returned to him as he heard the professor call for him to enter and he remembered why he was there.

Professor Dumbledore had a sad look on his face as he told Remus to sit, but the joyful werewolf didn't see the look as he happily took the overstuffed chair across from the desk. 

"So! I bet you have good news for me!" Remus looked into the old man's face and saw the look of apprehension and sadness where there were usually sparkling eyes. "Oh."

The bottom of Remus' stomach fell out as the old wizard looked up and met his eyes. "I am afraid the school board got an offer from someone else to teach this upcoming school year. Given that the board refuses to believe the position is cursed, they have decided to blame me for the failure of the last 20 or so teachers." The old headmaster took off his half moon spectacles and rubbed his face, showing for the first time his true age.

Remus sat stunned and unbelieving. "The replacement they have decided on will definitely be a huge mistake as I cannot believe the man will do much more than smile for cameras and fill the space of another year of the cursed position." The Professor put his glasses back on and looked Remus in the eyes firmly. "I know you do not want to hear this, but I did make the board promise me that if their replacement didn't work out, that they would allow me to place whomever I desire in the position next year."

Remus blinked. He blinked again. His stomach had finally hit the bottom and had filled with dread. Could he last another year without his Mia-bell? And now the dread was changing to rage. It filled him up and flashed in his eyes. He stood up full of anger. "Dumbledore you promised! You said I would only have to wait one more year, and now you add another? How many more will be after this one? You know that girl is all I have left after a few graves filled with family and loved ones and an insane murderer for a best friend! Everyone I have ever loved has either been a lie, killed, or taken away from me! I have waited! I have prayed for this opportunity! I will NOT have it taken away from me once again! I refuse to allow her to go through another birthday without knowing she still has people in this world who love her and would give anything for her!”

He paced around the room.

"Why is she even still in the castle? Didn't she make friends this year who would invite her to stay for the summer? Don't tell me you let the other kids avoid her because of her heritage! I knew she would have it rough when she got to school! She needed to have someone here to help her through and to explain things to her! Does she even know anything about her family? Her mother was an amazing witch and she has her eyes! Does she even know that? Does she know she has her father's smile? She has a legacy at this school, her and Harry are the only descendants the Marauders have! They should be wreaking havoc and running this school! Do they even know each other? I don't even know what house Mia was sorted into! HOW DO I NOT KNOW WHAT HOUSE MY OWN GOD DAUGHTER IS IN? What is her favorite class? What is her best subject? Is she any good at Quidditch? How is it I don't know a thing about the most important person in my world?" 

Remus fell into the chair, completely empty of all his anger. He put his face in his hands and just breathed.

Professor Dumbledore waited patiently for Remus to finish venting, and when the tired man was fully deflated the professor spoke in a quiet voice filled with compassion. "Her favorite class is Transfiguration." Remus looked up. "She's a brilliant witch. She got O’s and E’s in all of her classes, except for Transfiguration. I think that's why it's her favorite class, she likes the challenge. I don't think she's very comfortable on a broom, given that she didn't elect to further her flying classes after the required courses, but I hear she does spend much of her time out at the Quidditch pitch studying and reading in the stands. Much to my sadness, she has not made many friends. Most of the school has been leery of her due to the rumors of her past added with her apparent temper."

Remus let a small smile warm his face. 

Dumbledore continued. "Oh yes she has a temper, much like her father. Only she also seemed to inherit the kindness of her mother's disposition so she hasn't been causing me as much grief as you all did when you were in school. She has made friends with a few of her classmates. A brilliant witch by the name of Hermione Granger, and two wizard boys, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter." Remus' eyes began to fill with hope.

Perhaps they would find friendship in each other like Remus and Sirius had found in James. If Harry had any of his father's honor and his mother's compassion, he was sure they would be friends.

"I expect it was easy for them to become friends being that they are all in Gryffindor house together." 

At this news Remus' heart filled with pride. He had figured she would have been put in Ravenclaw with her brains, but apparently her father's traits had won out. Sirius didn't care who he became in his adult life, as a youth he was one of the best men and loyal friends Remus had ever known. Oh how different he had become after graduation.

"It pains me that young Amelia has not bonded more deeply with her classmates, but I do have to admit, a part of me is relieved. Harry seems to be getting into enough trouble on his own, as you would have read in the papers this past week, and I can't even imagine what I would be facing if the two of them had truly joined forces." Over the next few hours Remus and Dumbledore sat in the office and talked about the two kids.

Remus was shocked to hear of Mia's apparent gift in Potions even with Severus teaching the class. A part of him wondered how the Marauders old enemy would be doing teaching two of his greatest rivals' children.

Remus knew he would have to wait another year. He had broken quite a few rules in his school days, but he had always been the straighter laced Marauder and he had always felt a debt to Dumbledore for all he had done for the werewolf when he was in school. He would not give up on the old wizard now. He knew Professor Dumbledore held the key for him to ever be a part of his Mia Bell's life; he just had to be patent.

So he sat and he asked questions, and he listened to everything the old man could tell him about the family he had never gotten to know. He took the information and accepted that it was all he was going to get.

Was it enough? No, but it would get him through until his next chance.

* * *

Mia had been searching around the 7th floor for an hour and she was getting worried.

What if she couldn't find a suitable place to brew her potion?

Mia stopped her wanderings and paused in an empty corridor to look at a tapestry. Mia loved watching the different magical paintings in the castle and she usually stopped to talk to them every chance she could, but this one she had never seen before. It was of a man apparently trying to teach a few trolls how to do ballet.

It was a very funny tapestry, and it looked like the man was having a hard time at his task. Mia sighed, she was frustrated and the tapestry was doing nothing to calm her. What she really needed but couldn't find was a room to brew her potion, all she needed was a room where she couldn't be discovered, with a table and space to do her potion brewing. Was that too hard to find in this giant castle? Mia sighed again and then noticed a strange sound behind her of stone scraping quietly.

She turned around and saw a wooden door. She knew that door hadn't been there before. This passageway was empty except for the tapestry. Mia walked to the door and put her hand on the knob, and turned. She pulled the door open and was shocked by what she saw. It was a simple room with a large table in the middle, and that was it. It was simple, but everything she needed. Mia knew this room wasn't here before. Could it really be perfect? Mia had a feeling this room was magic and that no one would be able to find her here, just like she needed.

Mia spent a little bit of time in the empty room looking around and then decided to call it a night; she would bring down her potions ingredients and supplies the next day and start the month long process of brewing her potion after breakfast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Lupin, all he wants is his family. I hope he gets it in the end!


	30. Timings everything

The next morning after breakfast, Mia walked down to the 7th floor carrying a ton of stuff. She had her cauldron stuffed full of potion making tools and a bag thrown over her left shoulder filled with all of her raw ingredients. Mia walked down the empty corridor across from the tapestry of trolls in tutu's and stopped. There was no door there.

The room was gone and Mia didn't know how to get back in. Mia closed her eyes tightly as she began to panic. The cauldron was very heavy and she didn't think she could hold it much longer.

She needed her secret room back now!

She focused on the room in her mind hoping to figure out how to trigger the magic. A simple room that would keep her secret and a table in the middle. And maybe even a door that opened on its own. Mia didn't think she would be able to open the door with her hands full.

Suddenly Mia heard the familiar sound of stone moving, and she opened her eyes to see the wooden door from the day before swing open in front of her. Relieved, Mia rushed inside and dumped everything on the table, careful not to crush any of the ingredients.

Mia started setting everything up. Thankfully Snape was out of the castle for the moment, so she’d borrowed a cauldron burner from the potions lab. She laid out all of her notes and meticulously laid out all the ingredients in the order she would use them. Some of them needed to be prepared just before she added them to the cauldron so she only cut the ones she would be using that day.

This potion was extremely complex and parts of it had to simmer for several days before the following ingredient could be added. Mia had brought along a stopwatch so that she would time everything out perfectly. She had one shot to make this potion. If she messed up she wouldn't have enough ingredients to try a second time.

After doing all the prep work she could think of and reading over the notes a few more times, Mia took a deep breath and set the black beetle eyes to boil in half a liter of pollywog juice. Mia spent the next 6 hours working on her potion and after adding one more ingredient she had to let it simmer without stirring for another 12 hours. Mia set her timer and wandered down to the great hall looking for some dinner.

The next few weeks passed in the same manner. Mia's whole day was planned out by her timer. Sometimes she would have to add the next ingredients in the middle of the night, making her sleep all day. Sometimes she would have nothing to do for several days and other times she had to work on adding things and babysit it for 12 hours straight.

Mia spent most of her free time with the wolves in the forest and told them all about her plans to join them soon in animal form. They were excited. Mia also made sure to always attend at least one meal in the great hall a day and to have tea with Professor McGonagall every Monday night. This proved to be a little difficult the third Monday into the summer holiday. 

Mia was in the middle of a conversation about Owls with the professor when the timer in Mia's pocket started to go off silently. It was a magical timer, charmed so she was the only one who could hear it, but Mia's eyes grew large and a look of panic crossed her face when it went off. She had to put the horned slug into the potion ASAP! 

The Professor looked at Mia with a look of concern at the girls panicked face. Mia made to stand up. "Sorry professor I have to go… to the bathroom immediately! Goodbye!" And with that Mia ran from the Professor's room.

_ Embarrassing excuse _ ? Yes, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Mia had put a two minutes warning on her timer so she had less than two minutes to run up several flights of stairs. Thankfully the wooden door on the seventh floor didn't disappear as long as Mia's potion was in there, so as she approached the door at a run it opened itself up for her. Panting she grabbed the fat dead slug and threw it into the potion whole. She looked at her timer, she was 15 seconds too late but she was sure this potion couldn't be  _ that _ picky. After spending two more hours in the room brewing her potion Mia dragged herself upstairs to her room. She would have to wake up in 4 hours to add the next ingredient and she needed all the sleep she could get.

The next morning after working on her potion, Mia went down stairs to get some breakfast. She had forgotten about the incident the night before but apparently Professor McGonagall had not. After Mia had finished her eggs the old professor pulled Mia aside and asked her if she was ok. Mia promised she was but the professor didn't seem convinced. After asking the very embarrassed Mia if she knew about the monthly process all women went through, and seeing that Mia was not quite that old yet, she simply made Mia promise to come to her with any problems she had, and gave the girl a potion for an upset stomach.

Embarrassed and blushing Mia made her way out onto the grounds and walked towards the forbidden forest, and spent the rest of the day with her pack.

* * *

Six weeks. It had taken Mia six weeks. It was 5 o'clock in the morning, and Mia had been up all night. She was tired and sweaty, and just wanted a shower. The potion had been giving off a thick grey steam that smelled like spinach for the last four hours. Mia gave the potion a few more clockwise stirs as she peered over the side of the cauldron trying to see through the steam what color the liquid was. The finished potion was supposed to be completely clear, and right now Mia was working with a murky light purple liquid. Had she done something wrong?

Mia wiped the condensation off her forehead with the back of her hand. The last stage of the potion had been very delicate and now there was only one final ingredient to add.

Mia ran her hands through her hair a few times until she had several long black hairs caught in her fingers. She looked at the hair in her fingers and took a deep breath. If this didn't work, then it would mean she had wasted her entire summer for nothing. Mia held the hairs over the steaming cauldron and let them go. They wafted into the caldron slowly, as the steam fought to carry them away. The condensation in the steam collected on the hair wrapping each strand in a grey cocoon making it heavy and bringing it closer to the potion.

Finally, gravity won out and the hair sank to the surface of the liquid. The moment it touched the potion it was as if a stone had been dropped into the cauldron. Ripples formed in the center of and radiated out, and in a matter of seconds the steam had ceased and the potion cleared to a clear liquid that looked just like water. Mia smiled. She had done it. Mia, an eleven year old girl, she would be twelve in a few days time, had just completed an incredibly complex potion.

Mia took a step back from the table and sat down on the chair she had added to the room a few weeks ago. As she had worked over the weeks she had thought of things to add to the room that she needed, like a large sink, or a bathroom, and the room had cooperated. Mia took the corner of her dirty and stained robe and wiped her face off. She really needed a shower. And then she had to go to breakfast so that McGonagall wouldn't worry. Mia stood up one more time and started picking up her empty glass vials. She began dividing the potion up into thirty doses and put a stopper in each vial when it was full. Once finished, she cleaned out her cauldron and placed all of the vials into her bag and all of her tools into the large cauldron. She carefully slung the bag full of potions over her shoulder and lifted up the heavy cauldron full of tools. Walking to the door she took one look back on the room she had used for the last six weeks, and headed up to Gryffindor tower towards the shower.

The fat lady argued with Mia knowing she had been out all night, but finally, let her in when she looked like she would faint from exhaustion. Once in her room, Mia carefully wrapped up her potions and hid them in her trunk and then set off at once for a shower. Once clean, Mia put on clean robes and headed down to breakfast. Professor McGonagall asked why Mia was falling asleep into her porridge and after a quick excuse of staying up all night reading, the professor ordered Mia off to bed much to the young girl's relief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I’ve had feedback in the past about people asking why Mia was allowed to stay at Hogwarts, when we know this isn’t normally a thing. They point to Voldemort and his childhood as an example. I like to think Dumbledore couldn’t stand repeating history. Growing up in a muggle orphanage wasn’t what made Tom evil, but seeing another one of his students in the same place would hit too close to home for Dumbledore, and I think he would bend a few rules to keep Mia safe, especially if McGonagall was willing to take on the brunt of the caretaking. You know he didn’t have to work hard to talk her into it.


	31. Long Lost Family

When Mia's head hit her pillow she didn't wake again until noon the next day. She hadn't realized how tired she really was. After a quick shower, she got dressed and headed down for lunch in the great hall. Professor McGonagall was happy to see Mia looking better, and aside from some stiffness from sleeping so long, she felt much better. After lunch, Mia decided to go out to the forbidden forest and spend some time with her pack.

She had been spending so much time on her potion she hadn't spent as much time as she wanted to with them. She had made it as far as the tree line when an eagle owl swooped down upon her and dropped a letter at her feet before flying away. Mia stopped in surprise and picked up the letter, it was addressed to a Miss Amelia Black in beautiful curvy black handwriting. Mia couldn't imagine who could possibly have sent it. She had sent and received a letter or two from Hermione over the course of the summer, but this definitely wasn't Hermione's handwriting. Mia turned over the letter and popped open the green wax seal with the letter 'M' pressed into the wax. She unfolded the letter and read the elegant handwriting inside.

**_Dear Miss Amelia,_ **

_ Forgive me for the lateness of this letter. I have been meaning to write it for some time now, but I could not think of the proper time to send it, or the words that would explain all I wish to you. It gives me great sadness when I think of all the time that has separated us from you. Please accept my apologies with an invitation to come and stay with us for the rest of your summer holiday. After all, family really should be together. _

_ We have previously arranged your trip with the headmaster and my husband, your Uncle Lucius, will be by Professor Dumbledore's office at 2pm to collect you. _

_ Words cannot express my excitement in meeting you. _

**_Your loving aunt,_ **

**_Narcissa Malfoy_ **

Mia read the letter over two more times. She couldn't believe it. Draco's parents wished for her to spend the rest of the summer with them? Could she refuse the offer? Mia really didn't want to spend two weeks with people who were accused of being followers of Voldemort. And she especially didn't want to be in a house with Draco for two weeks.

The only reason they got along at school was because they stayed pretty far apart from each other. Mia re-read the letter.  **_'will be by Professor Dumbledore's office at 2pm to collect you.'_ ** They didn't seem to be giving her any choice in the matter. 

Mia looked down at her watch, it was 1:45. She only had 15 minutes to get back up to the castle, pack her trunk and head to Dumbledore's office? She didn't even know where his office was!

Mia turned and started running back up to the castle. She hadn't even done anything with her hair that morning, just threw it into a loose braid. The Malfoy's were rich and she was going to be meeting her long lost family looking like she lived on the streets and had just woken up from a 30 hour nap!

Mia ran into the entrance hall and smacked right into Professor McGonagall. "Oh, dear child, I have been looking all over for you! I have just received news from your Aunt and Uncle." The professor looked at the disheveled girl in front of her and saw the letter clutched in her hand. "And I see that you have received a similar letter." The professor seemed a little put out. Apparently she didn't like being told about last minute plans involving her student being taken away from the castle either. "Come along then."

The Professor began leading Mia down a corridor that was not headed towards the Gryffindor common room. "But professor, I have to pack my trunk!"

"I asked a few house elves to get your trunk packed up for you, but there is one thing I must ask you before we enter the headmaster’s office." The professor stopped outside of a statue of a stone gargoyle and she turned and looked at Mia. "Are you alright with this arrangement? They are your family so I know they will be good to you, but I understand if you are a bit apprehensive and wish to stay here."

The professor was giving Mia a choice.

What did Mia really want? She knew that for one, she didn't want to make any more enemies, and if she refused her family's invitation then she would probably burn the bridge leading to the only family she had. Mia couldn't do that just because she wanted to rebel against the forced offer. "I think I will go." The Professor gave Mia a penetrating look. "If I don't at least meet them then I will never be able to make up my mind about them for myself."

The Professor nodded. "Just promise me if they make you feel uncomfortable you will floo back here to Hogwarts immediately." Mia nodded but decided it best not to mention that although she had read about it before, she had absolutely no idea how to use the floo network. Professor McGonagall nodded and gave her a thin smile and straightened up.

"Sugar Quill." 

At her words, the gargoyle behind her came to life and jumped out of the way of a hidden staircase. They rode up the spiral stairs and when they came to a door at the top, the professor didn't knock but went straight in. Professor Dumbledore was standing in the middle of his office next to Mia's trunk thanking an old house elf who disappeared with a  _ crack. _ He smiled up at Professor McGonagall and Mia as they entered.

"Ah, Miss Amelia. Are you ready for your trip?" Dumbledore looked to Mia for an answer but was cut off by emerald flames rising up in the fireplace. A pristinely dressed man with long white blond hair stepped out.

Lucius Malfoy looked like a man of power. He wore finely pressed black robes and a look in his eyes that said he was better than everyone he met. He stepped away from the fire place and nodded to the two professors in turn. "Professor, Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall." Then his eyes fell on Mia. The look of superiority in his eyes flashed. "And you must be Miss Amelia." He nodded his head and spoke in a sarcastic voice. "What a pleasure it is to finally meet the daughter of my wife's disowned cousin."

"The pleasure is mine, dear Uncle, in meeting someone as- infamous as yourself." Mia bowed her head in respect hoping that her evident disrespect would be looked over. When Mia straightened up she could see Professor McGonagall covering a smile with her hand and saw a look of contempt flash accost Lucius' face.

"Yes, yes, well are you ready to go then? Your Aunt is beside herself with excitement to see you. Is this your trunk?" Lucius didn't seem to be looking for an answer; he seemed to only be looking for an excuse to leave the head master's office. He pulled the trunk over to the fire and bid the Professors a good day.

Professor Dumbledore stopped him from being too hasty in his leaving. "Now Mia, would this be your first time using the floo?" Mia nodded, and Lucius looked outraged that this girl had the nerve to inconvenience him so much. "Oh well, then I must explain it properly for you so that you do not get lost."

Lucius huffed as if wishing she would get lost. Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and not missing a beat he continued.

"I believe your father flooed with you many a time when you were a baby, but this will surely be your first solo trip. But not to worry, it is a simple thing to learn. All you must do is throw in a pinch of the powder, step into the flames and clearly state your destination. Think you can do that?" Mia nodded.

An irritated looking Mr. Malfoy grabbed Mia's trunk and dragged it into the fire after he threw in his powder. "Malfoy Manor." And with that the emerald flames rose up and he was gone. Mia took a deep breath and approached the fire. She took a pinch of the powder above the fire like her Uncle had and threw it into the flames, she stepped into the warm tickling green flames and smiled, and it felt so warm and familiar and made the joy and hope of a memory forgotten spring up in her gut. She looked back at the two professors.

"Safe travel to you Miss Amelia." Dumbledore gave her a warm smile.

"And try to have fun!" McGonagall looked worried.

Mia nodded and opened her mouth, "Malfoy Manor!" 

All at once the warm flames rose up around her and wizzed her off, she was spinning past lights that she thought looked like living rooms. She started to get dizzy when all of a sudden she stopped spinning and was thrown out of the fire onto a cold marble floor. Mia could hear someone burst out laughing at her as she lay heaped in an ashy mess on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mia's going to spend a few weeks with the Malfoys??? How in the world will that go? Think this will be her new family?


	32. Malfoy Manor

"Draco!" Mia looked up and saw a beautiful blond woman scolding Draco Malfoy as he tried to stifle his laughs at his cousin's expense. The beautiful and elegant woman swept over to Mia and picked her up off the ground. After using her want to clean off all of the ash, Narcissa Malfoy pulled Mia into a delicate hug and then stepped back to give her a look over. The large smile faded for just a moment at the look of the disheveled girl, but then was replaced by a look of polished love. "Oh my dear Amelia, how long have I wished to see you!"

Mia heard a snort of laughter and looked over to see an amused Lucius levitating her trunk up a set of stairs. "We will have such great fun together and lots of girl time I imagine. I cannot wait! Draco has told me all about how brilliant you are in your classes and I've scolded him endlessly for not inviting you to come and stay with us over the Christmas holiday." Mia looked over her aunt's shoulder to Draco and saw a look on his face that said he would prefer kissing a dragon rather than having to spend Christmas with his cousin.

"Thank you for the invitation, your home is very beautiful."

"Not a problem, dear. Now Draco, why don't you go show Mia up to her room and you two can play before dinner in a few hours." 

This didn't seem to be up for discussion and Draco huffed and started up the large marble staircase. Mia looked after him and ran to catch up. This was sure to be an eventful visit.

Once at the top of the steppes Draco turned on Mia and sneered. "Well look at you. Been spending the summer rolling around in the dirt or something?"

"Stuff it Draco. Can't we at least try to be civil? It's not like I asked to come here."

"Oh don't worry dear cousin; I think we will have a grand time." Draco gave Mia another wicked smirk and the bottom fell out of her stomach. She suddenly wished she had her wand for protection. If only students were allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts.

The first day passed reasonably uneventfully for Mia. Draco showed her all around the beautiful mansion that was so big it was like a maze, telling her about the history and wealth of his family and mentioning occasionally in different words how she was in no way worthy to be under the same roof given her muggle mother.

It was all Mia could do to stay calm and not knock him in the face. Before dinner, Narcissa swept Mia away and gave her a new dress and helped her do up her hair in a way that according to Narcissa made her look more like a member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Narcissa fawned over Mia. She had gone out shopping a few days before and bought a fortune's worth of designer clothes, shoes and dresses for Mia. Mia mostly wore jeans and simple blouses or sweaters under her school robes, but accepted the cloths with great thanks. Narcissa did Mia's hair, polished her nails, added rouge to her cheeks, and told her endless stories of her family.

Much to Mia's sadness she very rarely ever mentioned her cousin Sirius. Mia liked the clothes she was given and didn't mind the attention and pampering. It made her feel like she had a mum to care for her. But under everything that Narcissa did, Mia was very aware that this was not a nurturing woman, she was a polished woman. 

Mia tried to just enjoy herself. She understood that her aunt didn't mean anything rude by referencing her less than wealthy appearance or her poor and dead mother, but when her aunt attempted to throw away her old blue ribbons Mia got angry. She saved them from the trash and put them in an inside pocket.

Dinner turned out to be a grand event. They were waited on by a few house elves, who looked on Mia with adoration as she thanked them for their service. All through dinner Draco wolfed down his food and Lucius looked bored and annoyed as he slowly ate. Mia on the other hand didn't have much time to eat as Narcissa asked Mia a new question every time she took a bite of food. She told her aunt all about her studies and her classes. Narcissa was happy to hear her niece was a brilliant witch, but saddened to learn she was in Gryffindor and didn't have many friends.

She made Draco promise to spend more time with her at school in the future. Once a lull in the conversation arose, Mia took the opportunity to ask a question she had been wondering since she had met her uncle. "Aunt Narcissa, may I ask, what was my father disowned for? Uncle Lucius mentioned it earlier and I was wondering what he meant." At this Lucius looked up, paying attention to the conversation for the first time with a look of a child with his hand caught in a cookie jar.

"Lucius! Why on earth did you tell her that? Honestly, what a rude thing to say!" Lucius gave his wife an apologetic look and returned to eating his spice cake. "Dear, don't worry about that, it was a long time ago and not the sort of thing that would concern you." It was clear to Mia that she wasn't going to get an answer. Draco started laughing into his cake and Narcissa dismissed them to head up to their rooms saying it was getting late. Mia followed Draco up the grand staircase towards the wing of the house that had both their rooms. Draco stopped her in the hallway.

"You really don't know do you?" Draco had a look of self righteous glee on his face.

"If I knew then I wouldn't have asked. No one ever talks about my father to me. All I know was that he went to Hogwarts, and now he's in jail. If you want to make fun of me for my lack of knowledge then go ahead. It's not my fault that people act awkward about the subject when I'm around."

"I wasn't going to make fun of you. I was going to tell you. But if you don't want to know then fine." Draco made as if he was about to walk away but Mia stopped him.

"No please, tell me what you know."

Draco looked around quickly and pulled Mia into a room off the side of the hall. This room was richly furnished with delicate and ornate chairs and shelves filled with lots of interesting books lining the walls. A small fire was heating the room pleasantly. Draco went over to the fire and plopped down onto the large couch.

"Tell me what you already know about the Black family."

Mia walked over to a smaller chair and sat in it, folding her legs underneath herself. "Well, I know that they are one of the oldest pure blood wizarding families still alive and that the only ones still alive are your mother and her two sisters and my father and me."

"That's it?" Draco looked at her like she was a moron.

"What do you want from me? Want me to list out every random fact I have ever heard? I know they, like your family, were all blood purists, and that many of them were suspected supporters of You-know-who."

Draco gave Mia a look like he was sizing her up. Mia didn't care that Draco was having fun with her, she knew that even if he used the information to show that he was better and smarter than her, she would still get the information, and that was all she wanted. "Before I tell you about your dad, there are a few things that you need to know. Things you wouldn't know having grown up with muggles like you had. Pure blood families like ours are a bit different from other wizarding families. In our families, pride is everything. Pride in your family, pride in your magic, pride in your blood, pride in your wealth. Those are the most important things. In every pure blood family, it is the job of the first born male to carry on the traditions and line of the family. For example, I am an only child, but if I did have a younger sibling, they would matter little in comparison to me, as long as I did right by my family. But if I did screw up badly then my family could choose to disown me, and make my younger brother the chosen heir." Mia looked disgusted at this proclamation. "I'm not saying it's a good thing, it's just the way it works in our world. Given that I am an only child, there isn't really anything that would be considered bad enough to disown me because then the Malfoy's wouldn't have an heir. Get it?" Mia nodded. "Now your father was in fact the first born in the family, and he also had a younger brother." Mia looked startled at this, she had an uncle? "Now don't get too excited! I said  _ had _ a younger brother he died a few years after your father was thrown into Azkaban I think."

Mia didn't understand how Draco could talk about things like people being thrown into Azkaban, and dying like it was nothing, but she didn't dare interrupt him. She wanted her answers. "So why was he disowned?"

Malfoy smirked before answering. "Because he was a blood traitor. He didn't agree with his family's views and beliefs so they kicked him out. Not to mention he married that mudblo- I mean muggle born- mother of yours. In the eyes of a pure blood family that makes him lower than dirt."

"But he killed them didn't he? In the end he betrayed his friends, and even my mom, they are all dead now and he was a servant of you-know-who. Doesn't that redeem him some how?"

"Honestly I don't know. I was just a baby back then like you. All I know is the history of the story, they disowned him while he was still in Hogwarts and prideful wizards rarely ever go back on their decisions especially if they were wrong in making them. Maybe your dad joined You-know-who as a way of getting back into their good graces." 

Draco and Mia sat in the silence of the room for a few minutes. It was a lot to process and Mia wanted to think on all she had learned for a while. 

"We should get to bed before Mum and Dad catch us." 

Mia agreed silently and got up to follow Draco threw the maze of hallways that lead to their rooms. Draco was a prat and a bully, but he had his moments. The two soon to be second years didn't get along, they liked to argue and poke fun at each other. But a part of them realized they were family. It felt like through it all that was enough, and they weren't really enemies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww, bonding with Draco, how sweet.


	33. Happy Birthday

Mia couldn't sleep. Her sleeping schedule had been so thrown off by making her potion and now she wasn't really tired. Adding that to the fact that she had just learned something new about her mysterious father made nothing in Mia's brain willing to shut off to allow her to sleep. 

Mia climbed out of bed and walked into the hallway. Maybe if she could find that library she had been in with Draco earlier she could find a good book and just read for a while to clear her head of the things that were bothering her. She crept down the hallway and past Draco's door. She could hear quiet snoring coming from his room so she knew he was asleep.

Mia walked down a few hallways and made a few turns and it wasn't long before she knew for sure that she was lost. She decided to just turn around and go back to bed when she heard voices. It sounded like Lucius and Narcissa arguing quietly. Mia didn't want to eavesdrop on her aunt and uncle’s marital problems so she went to walk away when she heard her name being mentioned. It was Narcissa.

"-but Amelia is  _ my _ family. I will not have you getting her involved in your dangerous games." Mia scooted closer to the door so she could listen.

"That's what I'm saying to you Narcissa! If I give the book to her then when havoc falls on Hogwarts this year she will be safe!" This was Lucius speaking. Was he trying to protect her from something? Mia had gotten the feeling that Lucius didn't care one bit about Mia and would have much preferred her not to have existed.

"Oh don't try to convince  _ me _ you are doing this for her own good. You know very well whoever you give that book too  _ will _ get caught and will most likely be expelled or sentenced to Azkaban!" Ok, so clearly Lucius didn't care about Mia.

"But dear wife, she would at least be safe. And it will be much easier to slip the book to her than to another student. And even if she did go to Azkaban, she would be with family there!"

**_Slap!_ **

"That is  _ my _ niece you are talking about. You will not risk her for the sake of your old  _ loyalties. _ "

Lucius’ voice was low and filled with poison. "Don't you ever slap me again."

"Someone has to remind you of your priorities, and this family had better be your priority. That means if you wish to keep your son and myself in your life you will not sacrifice my niece in your little game. She is the only family I have left after Bellatrix got locked away and Andromeda was labeled as a blood traitor. I am sick and tired of this war of blood purity our world is fighting! If blood is the most important thing then why do we disown our own so easily? I stopped speaking with Andromeda, my own sister, on your orders and I will live by that choice now even though I regret it with everything I am. But I will not allow you to separate Amelia from me." There was silence. She could hear some slight movement as if that conversation was decided and over. In a lighter note, Narcissa continued. "Why don't you just give it to one of Author's children like you were planning?"

Mia had heard enough. She slowly eased away from the door and quietly started to make her way back to where she hoped her room was located.

What was coming to Hogwarts this year that would be so dangerous and how were the Malfoys involved? After wandering for a few minutes Mia saw a tapestry that looked familiar and managed to locate her room. Mia climbed into bed and closed her eyes, she didn't think she would sleep easily, but she had to try. She had learned so much today. Her father at one point of his life had believed enough in the right side that his family of blood purists had disowned him, and her Aunt who was in fact still one of those blood purists cared enough about her to stand up to her husband and protect her.

Maybe family could be a powerful thing, even if the people themselves weren't the greatest. Mia looked at her watch sitting on the dresser beside her bed. It was just after midnight and that meant Mia was officially 12 years old. Mia wondered if RJL would be able to find her staying with the Malfoys. Although her Aunt had bought her tons of clothes, Mia didn't think anyone in this household knew it was her birthday. Mia slowly drifted off to sleep, images of a family long forgotten flashing through her mind.

The next morning found Mia waking up to a house elf in her room. The old female elf had been assigned to make sure she was up in time for breakfast. After taking a shower, French braiding her hair back and putting on one of the nice summer dresses Narcissa had gotten for her, Mia accepted the elf as a guide to find her way down to breakfast. Much to Mia's joy, the father of the house was at work and it was only Draco and Narcissa she would be dining with. After a delicious meal of eggs and sausage Draco and Mia were dismissed to 'go play.'

Draco led the way out of the dining room. "Come, dear cousin, let me show you what father got me for my end of term gift." Once out of sight of his mom, Draco gave Mia a wicked smirk and led her out a back door of the manor. The backyard was a large and beautiful garden. The Manor seemed to be on a very extensive piece of land and on the far left side of the property beyond the garden appeared to be the makings of an at home Quidditch pitch. This was where Draco led Mia.

"So your dad got you a Quidditch field for completing your first year of Hogwarts?" Mia didn't think their first year was very difficult, but maybe old rich families liked to celebrate weird things.

"No, this pitch has been here for ages. Our land has loads of Muggle deterring charms on it so I am able to fly as high as I wish." They were walking towards a nice looking shed on the side of the pitch now. "I told Father about how Potter made the Quidditch team last year. He was so angry to hear the favoritism given to him just because his parents died and he's famous. You know first years are never allowed onto the house teams. If they were I would have been on for sure. My private tutor says I'm a natural."

Mia rolled her eyes at Draco's obvious jealousy. When they approached the small shed, Draco placed his hand on a lock and it popped open. He gave Mia a prideful look and swung open the door. Mia gasped. Inside where seven brand new brooms. Mia read on the handle of one.  _ Nimbus 2001 _ . Mia had heard people talking about Harry's broom last year and knew that it was a fantastic boom. Apparently these were the next model up. These would have cost a fortune. Mia wondered why Draco needed seven brooms.

"Since I will be joining the Slytherin Quidditch team next year, Father decided to donate these to our team." 

Mia understood now. Team members had to try out to be on the house teams. The only way Draco could be sure he would make the team is with his father donating the brooms. Draco was buying his way onto the team.

"Impressive isn't it? Now we Slytherin's will tromp you Gryffindor's no problem."

"Oh, I'm sure you will win for sure." Draco caught the sarcastic tone Mia was using and his smirk slipped for a moment. "Shall we try them out then?"

Draco fixed Mia with a steely gaze and the color drained out of Mia's face. She kept her face calm and voice steady. "Oh, I don't think you want me to ride one of your new brooms, why don't you fly and I will just watch your fantastic moves?"

Draco wasn't buying it. "No. I would much prefer to fly with you." He grabbed two brooms off the rack and placed one of them in Mia's hand. "Unless you are too scared, of course."

"I'm not scared! I just haven't done any flying since our first class. I think your brooms would stay in much better condition if I stayed away from them."

"You are scared! The brave Gryffindor won't even fly a broom! Are you sure you were even meant to be in that excuse for a house?" Draco made to take the broom away but Mia snatched it out of his reach. Draco smirked at her and walked out of the shed carrying his broom over his shoulder. Mia looked at the broom in her hands. Why did she have to be prideful? Why couldn't she just admit she was scared of flying and let him make fun of her and leave it at that? Mia shook her head at her own stupidity and walked out of the shed, broom in hand.

Draco swung his leg over his broom and took off into the air like a rocket. His broom was so fast. "Come on dear cousin! Unless you are too afraid!"

Mia's hands were trembling. She swung her leg over the broom and could feel it hovering slightly. She thought back to her first flying lesson. Mia griped the broom firmly in both hands and kicked off. She shot up into the air and pulled up on the broom trying to make it stop, she only flew higher. Her hands and legs gripped the broom so hard she thought she might break it, but her fear of falling off was too great. Mia was flying higher and higher and before she knew it Draco was beside her with a worried look.

"No! No! Stop pulling up on the broom! Sit back with your hips to make it slow down or stop!" Mia frantically sat back as hard as she could on the broom and the precision flying broom came to a sudden and complete stop. Mia almost went flying off the front but managed to hang on just enough. She straightened herself out on the broom. Her face pale and her whole body shaking.

Draco swooped beside her and came to a stop breathing heavily. "Merlin! These brooms are sensitive, you don't have to pull very hard to make them go."

Mia was still shaking like a leaf. Her hands were aching and every muscle in her body was rigid, but she managed to find her voice. "Clearly." Her hair had come out of the brad she had placed it in. Having used one of the ribbons her aunt had given her, Mia didn't mind that she had lost it. Her dark hair hung in her face but Mia wasn't about to lift her hand off of the broom to brush her hair away.

"I'm getting off this thing. Tell me how to get down." Mia didn't care if Draco thought she was a chicken, there was no way she was staying in the air any longer. Mia was not a girl meant to fly.

Draco clearly agreed with her and just nodded. "To go down just push down on the front of the broom." Mia, in her haste, pushed down and leaned down onto the broom wanting to get to the ground quickly, and she shot off towards the ground like a bullet. Draco couldn't catch up but just yelled after her. "I SAID PUSH DOWN! DON'T LEAN! LEANING FORWARD MAKES YOU SPEED UP! PULL UP AMELIA!"

Mia was hurtling towards the ground 70 feet, 50 feet, 30 feet, 20 feet, then Mia got her head back on. Mia pulled up sharply on the broom and sat back on it as hard as she could. She flipped over in the air and came to a complete stop all at once. Mia was thrown up and then away from her broom. Her grip, strengthened over years of tree climbing failed her as she lost hold of her broom and flew through the air and plummeted down.

Mia had fallen out of trees plenty of times, and she always managed to land on her feet, but she had never fallen this far before and panic set in. Mia flew threw the air and she righted herself out at just the last moment to land on her feet. As she hit the ground she heard a loud crunch and an excruciating pain spread through her whole right leg. Mia's left leg gave out quickly and she fell to the ground.

A panicked looking Draco came swooping out of the sky a few seconds later with a look of pure terror. "Amelia! Are you ok?" Mia opened her mouth to say that she was fine but a cry of anguish came out instead.

"MUM!" Draco went running off towards the manor and Mia quickly blacked out from the pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm, that overheard conversation sure sounded familiar. I wonder what that was about.


	34. A Rash Decision

Mia woke up dazed and confused. She opened her eyes and saw the ceiling of the hospital wing. She could hear hushed voices to her left and she opened her eyes and turned her head. Professor McGonagall was speaking to Madam Pomfrey. Madam Pomfrey saw she was awake and huffed over.

"And how are you feeling little miss daredevil? Honestly, trying to do tricks and flips on a new broom, I'm surprised you didn't break your neck." Madam Pomfrey started waving her wand over Mia doing some diagnostic spells.

"Sorry, say that again?"

Madam Pomfrey gave Mia a calculating look. "The Malfoy boy told us you were trying to out fly him, doing tricks and the like when you fell off. Don't you remember?" The healer waved her wand over Mia's head as if checking something.

"Oh right, I remember." 

Professor McGonagall who had heard the exchange gave Mia a knowing look.

"Well you broke your leg in three places, quite a nasty compound fracture, but I have seen worst. How are you feeling now?"

Mia wiggled around for a second. She felt exhausted. All of her muscles felt drained and tired and her hands were a bit sore, but her leg didn't hurt at all.

"The pain is all gone!"

"Well of course it is. I can heal broken bones in no time! Mrs. Malfoy wasn't very practiced in medicinal spells so she decided it would be best to leave you to me. But as you now look as if you are feeling fine, you are free to go." At this Madam Pomfrey turned, nodded to Professor McGonagall and walked away, leaving Mia lying in bed.

Professor McGonagall gave Mia a penetrating look. "Flying loops were you? If I recall you chose not to further your flying classes. Decided to go solo did you?" Mia didn't answer, just looked down to her hands on her blanket. "Was it really that bad? I never should have let you go."

"No Professor, it was fine. I don't think Mr. Malfoy liked me very much, but Narcissa was very nice. And me and Draco… well, it was just a little bit of cousin rivalry, but really, he wasn't trying to get me hurt." 

The Professor nodded. "Well then. I guess it looks like you will be spending the rest of the summer with us in the castle. We can take a trip in a few days to London to get your school books. Your aunt wanted me to give you her love and she said maybe you could join them over the Christmas holidays if you wanted to." Mia nodded and the Professor made to leave the hospital wing. "Oh and Miss Amelia, Happy Birthday."

Mia left the hospital wing shortly after the professor. This had been her worst birthday ever. She didn't care about the broken bone, and she was rather happy to leave the Malfoy’s house, but Mia hadn't heard anything from RJL. 

Maybe they figured that now she was in Hogwarts she didn't need them anymore. Or maybe they didn't know how to send her anything at Hogwarts. Mia walked slowly up to her room in Gryffindor tower. She opened the dorm door and saw her trunk in its rightful place next to her bed. The new cloths Narcissa had bought for her were hung in her closet.

Mia closed her eyes and flopped back onto her bed. She landed on something hard and rolled off. Sitting on her bed was a present. It was a flat square about a foot wide wrapped in shiny gold paper with a big red bow around it. There was a note tucked under the ribbon. She unfolded the parchment and saw the familiar clean handwriting.

**_My dear Mia-Bell,_ **

_ I know you don't have any pictures of your family and now that you are at Hogwarts, it's time you learn more about the legacy you come from. Your mother was a bright witch, and your father… no matter who he became, he was a great man and a true friend when I knew him in school. Remember him for that. You were, and still are, very loved. _

**_RJL_ **

Mia wiped a tear off her cheek and carefully opened the present. Inside laid a thickly bound book. The cover was a deep red with a golden Gryffindor crest underneath it and golden spiral writing that read Sirius Orion Black. Mia opened the first page and let out a small gasp. This was a photo album.

The first picture was a picture of two boys. The one on the left had longer curly hair, a pale face, and a familiar smile, the second boy had short messy hair and looked almost exactly like Harry. Mia looked back to the first boy. He had grey eyes and a nose that looked like a larger version of Mia's. This must be her father. She did look a lot like him. A more feminine version, but they had a similar jaw line, and although Mia's lips were fuller, they were the same shape as his.

Like all wizard photos, the boys were moving in this picture. They were smiling proudly and sticking out their chests. This picture was taken in a place that looked familiar to Mia. It was the Gryffindor common room. The two boys were wearing Hogwarts school robes with Gryffindor colors on them. Mia stopped. She thought her father had been in Slytherin. But this was clearly a picture of him in her common room. Mia had seen Harry and Ron sitting in the exact same chairs.

Mia turned the next page. This was a picture of four boys. Her father and Harry's dad, and then a watery eyed round boy and a pale sickly looking boy who looked strangely familiar to Mia. In this picture they were sitting out by the lake apparently studying in the early summer sun. Thick books were stretched out in front of them.

Mia kept turning the pages; some of the pages had a few pictures missing where it was clear there were originally pictures stuck there. Were there some things RJL didn't want her to see? Most of the pictures were of the four boys, occasionally it would just have one or two of them. Mia's father and Harry's father were in almost every picture together, pictures of them at school, pictures of them at one of their homes over the summer riding brooms together.

Every picture Sirius was in he had a big happy wolfish grin or was laughing happily at another person in the picture. Was this happy boy really the same one who became a murderer later in life? Was he really an honest person when he went to school? Could someone really change like that as they got older or was he always evil, somewhere deep inside?

Mia turned the next page. This was a picture of Sirius and a blond headed girl making out in a corner behind a statue, then when they realized someone was watching, they broke apart and got embarrassed looks on their faces. The girl was very pretty. She was thin but curvy and had long blond hair and eyes that were bright blue. Even in the old photo, Mia knew the eyes were exactly like her own. Was this woman her mother? The girl was wearing robes with Ravenclaw colors and even had a shiny prefects badge pinned to her robes. Mia turned the page.

The next page held several photos of her father and the same girl. Laying in the grass by the lake, throwing snowballs at each other on the Hogwarts grounds, and then one of them smiling big with a beautiful ring on the girl's left hand. The next few pages held wedding photos. The first wedding was between Harry's dad and a pretty woman with red hair and green eyes just like Harry. The best man was Sirius, and the maid of honor was Mia's mother. There were pictures of her parents dancing at the Potter's wedding, and pictures of Sirius kissing his soon to be wife.

The next page was filled with pictures of Sirius and Cassandra's wedding. Pictures of them dancing and kissing, the look on Sirius's face spoke love and joy.

Next were pictures of Cassandra. Each one her stomach was growing larger and Sirius would be kissing her stomach or decorating a baby's room. They looked excited for the future. Mia wiped more tears off of her face and turned the page. This was a picture of her father and mother in the hospital. Her mother looked frail and tired but happy, and her father sat on the edge of the bed with a bundle of blankets in his arms. A little black haired baby face poking out the top. Sirius Black was looking down onto the baby in his arms with a look of absolute love and wonder.

Every now and then he would lean down and kiss the baby's forehead, never taking his eyes off his little girl. The next few pages were filled with pictures of this little girl. Pictures of her being thrown up into the air and caught by her father, pictures of her being healed by her mother with tender love, even pictures of her playing with a little black haired boy with bright green eyes while her father and Harry's father stood in the background.

This was her family as it was, back before her mother died, before she went to live in the orphanage and before she could remember anything. The last page in the book was of Mia, about a year old, lying in her father's arms as he lay on the couch and read her a book. The little baby looked safe and loved as she fell asleep to her father's voice with Moony Bear tucked safely under her arm.

Mia closed the book gently and set it on her bed. She had so many emotions in her mind. She had been loved once. And someone out there still loved her even now although they didn't reveal themselves. Mia just felt so out of control of her life. She couldn't control the broom earlier that day, she couldn't control who her family was or make them be in her life now and she couldn't even control the tears falling from her eyes. Mia stood up abruptly. She wiped the tears from her eyes in a rush and walked to her trunk.

She ripped open the lid and sorted through the contents until she found her old bag. She opened it up and pulled out one of her animagi potions and stormed out of her room. She rushed out of the common room, past the portrait hole and down the stairs towards the seventh floor corridor. 

Mia stood in front of the empty wall where she knew the secret room was and she closed her eyes tight. She needed somewhere private to use the potion. She heard the familiar sliding of stone and opened her eyes. A familiar wooden door stood in front of her. Mia put her hand on the metal knob and opened the door.

The room was completely different from any time she had seen it before. It looked huge. Thick plush carpets lined the floor and as Mia stepped inside she realized the walls were made entirely out of mirrors making the room look endless but also giving Mia a clear picture of herself. One large chandelier hung from the ceiling giving the room a warm glow of light. Mia walked up to one of the mirrored walls and looked herself in the eyes. Her eyes were puffy and red but that only made her blue eyes brighter. Mia took a step back and without thinking uncorked the bottle in her hand and drank the potion in one gulp.

The potion tasted sweet and immediately Mia felt her body change. She quickly closed her eyes. The feeling was a bit itchy and uncomfortable but not painful. It was as if she was wearing a tight sweater and realized it was on backwards and was turning it around while it was still on.

All of her skin was moving, and thick hair was sprouting all over her, her eyes and ears were moving on her face, her teeth grew longer and sharper and her legs and arms grew shorter. Her fingers and toes turned to paws and her hair shortened until it was the same length as her fur. The weirdest feeling was of a tail sprouting from behind her as if her spine just grew too long. She quickly lost her balance and landed on all fours but this position felt right.

The transformation took only a few seconds and when it was over Mia opened her eyes and looked in the mirror, and was stunned by what she saw.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First person to guess what she becomes gets an imaginary prize!!!


	35. What Becomes Her

Mia looked at herself in the reflection of the mirror. Her bright shining blue eyes were just as blue as they ever were but the shape of her pupils had changed to thin sharp ovals. Her whole face and body was covered in pure white fur with thick black stripes starting on her forehead and cheeks and going back along her head and down her back and tail. Mia blinked and the snow white tiger in the mirror blinked back.

She was beautiful.

Mia lifted up her arm and watched as the white tiger in the mirror did the same. She flexed her paw and watched as her nails extended out and back in.

Mia was a little surprised her Animagus was a feline, but it made sense. She did love to climb trees and sit in the warm sun of the afternoon much like a cat.

Mia realized the more she thought about it, that she did love wolves dearly, but she wasn't one herself.

Mia went to take a step forward with her right paw and her back left leg instinctively picked up and stepped forward as well. Mia turned to her left and started walking slowly, watching her reflection in the mirror. She watched the way her new body moved as she walked, and how her muscles moved under her fur on her back. She swished her tail back and forth a few times and was amazed at the feeling of having a tail.

Mia just spent a few minutes walking back and forth in front of the mirrors, focusing on the feel of her body and learning her new balance. Then Mia decided to try something else. She stood on one end of the room crouched back and started running to the other end. It only took a few long running strides for her to reach the other end then she had to dig her claws into the carpet to stop before crashing into the mirror on the other wall.

The tiger in the mirror showed her sharp fangs in a wicked grin. Mia felt amazing. She felt stronger and more agile than she ever had before. It would definitely take some getting used to as she hadn't meant to jump quite so far as she did, but she was excited to test her limits.

Mia spent the rest of her hour just focusing on the feel of her body. Her book had said that the most important thing for someone trying to become an Animagus was to learn how to transform without the help of the potion, and that required her knowing what her animal form felt like.

Mia lost track of the time, but she knew her hour was up when she felt the now familiar sensation of her skin moving around her. Her fur melted away back into her skin and her bones thickened and lengthened. Her ears moved back to the sides of her head and her tail disappeared back into the end of her spine.

Before Mia knew it she was human again and on all fours in a bad push-ups position. Mia fell to her knees and stood up. It felt weird to be standing on two feet again.

Mia made her way up to the Gryffindor common room and as the high of excitement over her transformation wore off, a lump formed in the pit of her stomach. What had she just done? Becoming an Animagus was extremely dangerous and most people who attempted it through history had died in the attempt! Mia had read one man's research that had pointed to the possibility that the first man to ever attempt to invent the Animagus potion had come close but failed horribly and had been turned into an abomination. Half man, half wolf, controlled by the power of the full moon.

Apparently his affliction had proved contagious when he bit another. It was suggested that the first ever werewolf was a potions master trying to achieve successful human to animal transformation.

It was a few years before his lab assistant picked up the research again and later went on to make some changes including the exchange of wolfsbane for silver weed. That wizard was the person credited with making the first ever successful Animagus potion.

Unfortunately for him, he believed the potion was just for temporary use and didn't know he had to learn the ability. He eventually ran out of his potion and got stuck in between the form of a fox and a man and died shortly after.

It was just over a hundred years before a brilliant wizard dug up the research during his work in classifying potions and their purposes. He was working on creating classifications of potions depending on the reactionary result. To this purpose, he realized that the mixture of ingredients in the Animagus potion made it a teaching potion, or a potion that triggered a reaction in the recipient that needed to be learned. He then teamed up with a transfiguration master and decided to do it again. With the spirit of scientific exploration the two men recreated and took the potion.

The potions master was unable to learn his eagle form in time and decided to brew a second batch. This proved fatal as well. But the transfiguration master spent time meditating and focusing on the transformation and managed to become the first ever successful and complete Animagus.

Mia went strait up to her room, changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed tucking her photo album under her pillow. So much had happened in her life in such a short time, and now she feared that because of one rash move in her moment of weakness she would be dead before Christmas if she didn't learn this transformation correctly and quickly. 

She wasn’t even good at transfiguration.

Mia rolled over on her side and closed her eyes thinking hard. She would spend one week at a time meditating on her new ability and then use a potion at the end of the week to transform and study the new form again.

With this plan she would have seven and half month's worth of potions as long as she didn't have any accidental transformations in between. Mia grabbed her moony bear and tucked him under her arm. She snuggled down into her blankets and tried to clear her mind. It didn't matter if she was 12 years old now, this bear was the one thing that brought her comfort, and there was no way she was giving him up. Mia inhaled the scent of her plush wolf, and fell to sleep dreaming of a white tiger running through the forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand she's a tiger! What do you think? Did you guess right?


	36. Frolicking

Mia woke up early the next morning. She lay in bed not wanting to wake up as her dreams faded away. She had been dreaming of her tiger form, running through the forest, climbing a tall tree, using her tail for balance as she walked along a mountain ridge. Mia sighed and rolled over onto her side. All of her muscles hurt like she had just hiked uphill carrying bags of cement.

Either it was it because of the broom ride and fall, or because of the animal transformation the day before, Mia didn't know. She lay in bed and started stretching out. She started with her shoulders and legs and ended with her fingers and toes, then Mia stretched out her back and her tail as far as it could go. Mia jumped with a start. She had a  _ tail _ !

Mia jumped out of bed and ran to the bedroom mirror next to Lavenders empty bed. A long furry white and black striped tail was poking out of the back of her pajama bottoms. Her lower back was also covered in a fine white hair that thinned out up her back. How did this happen? Mia thought back to her dream, she remembered the feeling of being high up on a cliff face in the form of her tiger, using her tail as balance as it whipped around in the wind.

Had she focused too hard on that tail in her dream? How did she make it go away? Mia knew there were two ways, either with meditation or by taking the second potion and completing the transformation for an hour before her body naturally went back to its original form as the potion completed its cycle. 

Mia didn't want to use another one of her potions, it was too soon and at this rate, she would run out too quickly.

Mia looked at her tail in the mirror again and the bottom fell out of her stomach. She couldn't have a tail! Mia needed to calm down. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She focused on imagining the end of her spine shrinking into her body. She thought back to the feeling of having a smooth and human backside with no tail. Mia focused on her breathing and kept thinking human thoughts, she started to feel a strange sensation like her tail shrinking and she got excited and reached behind her. She felt her tail.

The fur was smooth and soft to the touch, but it wasn't what Mia wanted to feel. It did seem to be a little bit shorter though. Maybe Mia had been getting it right, she just needed to focus more.

Mia closed her eyes again and started focusing on her breathing and on envisioning her human body. She had been human and tailless her whole life, why was this so difficult? 

She continued to clear her mind. Suddenly she felt the familiar sensations of her tail becoming a part of her body again. She tried her hardest not to get excited or distracted, but to focus on that feeling until it finished. It took a long time. When it felt like it had stopped, Mia reached behind her back to feel that everything was normal again.

She sighed in relief. Maybe she could do this. Mia had to get her dreams under control before the other students came back from summer break. It wouldn't be good if Mia woke up with furry ears on her head. She was sure Lavender would have a field day ratting her out.

The last two weeks of summer passed quickly for Mia. Professor McGonagall took her to Diagon Alley to buy her school books. She was shocked to see that her school list was comprised mostly of books written by a Gilderoy Lockhart. She asked the Professor why this was but she just pursed her lips and said Mia would find out soon enough. When they approached the bookstore, there was a big sign on the door announcing that Gilderoy Lockhart himself was going to be signing books a few days later.

Mia spent much of her last days just wandering the castle, and spending time with Professor McGonagall. The old teacher was becoming something like a mentor for Mia. Mia had never had a woman to look up to before as she never counted Mrs. Hefner the orphanage director. Professor McGonagall told Mia all about her days at Hogwarts and Mia was especially surprised to find out the Professor had been quite the Quidditch player in her day.

Mia had a few accidental transformations but the castle was so peaceful and deserted that it was easy enough to sneak away and calm down enough to focus on turning back. Every night she would go to the room on the seventh floor and desire the room of mirrors into existence. She would sit on large cushions in front of the mirrors and close her eyes. She started with her hand, trying to make it turn into a tiger's paw, and back again to a human hand. Over and over again she would practice, each time moving the transformation up her arm. She spent her days reading in the Quidditch pitch or exploring the castle, with one hand at her side under the folds of her robes, just changing her hand back and forth between human and tiger.

By the end of the two weeks left of summer, Mia was able to successfully transform both of her hands and arms at the same time. It took about a minute and a half as it was hard to focus on both arms at once, but Mia knew that with practice it would get faster. At the end of the first week when Mia planned to take the second potion to perform a complete transformation, she took it out to the forbidden forest.

Mia found the wolf pack and told them what she planned to do. She told them that after she drank the funny smelling water she would turn into a big cat and they would be able to run through the woods together. The wolves loved this idea and Mia drank the potion. Her transformation only took a few seconds. Mia tried her hardest to focus on it while it happened so that she would be able to practice later, but she doubted she would ever get fast enough to transform that quickly without the potion.

Even with the warning of what she was doing, several of the wolves in the pack panicked when she transformed and barked at the snowy tiger in front of them. Mia was happy to discover she could still communicate with them, but when she responded it was more in her mind than vocal.

Once they were reassured that it was in fact her, they all crowded in and started sniffing Mia. As soon as she had transformed, all of Mia's senses were overwhelmed. She could hear more than she had ever been able to before, and her vision was amazing like it had been the first time, but the smells were almost too much. In the room, the first time Mia had transformed she hadn't really had much to smell, but out here in the woods she could smell everything. Each wolf had their own distinctive scent and Mia set off sniffing them until she had them memorized.

After they all became better acquainted, Fleetfoot suggested that Mia test out her new paws and he took off in a game of chase. Mia was amazed at the speed she was able to reach as she took off running after the wolves. She was definitely slower than them as her muscles weren't as strong as theirs, but Mia knew it wouldn't be too long until she built up her endurance. The pack ran for several miles, stopping occasionally to sniff and 'mark' a tree. Mia was so fascinated with her new nose that she would smell everything but tried to stay away from the trees they marked.

The scent on them was too strong but she still found it very interesting how it almost made a clear and defined line between the land that was part of their territory and the part that was not. After running for about a half hour, the pads on the bottom of Mia's feet were unbelievably sore. She had been trying to ignore it, but after stepping on a particularly sharp rock, Mia yelped. 

She came to a stop and lifted up her foot. The pad was red and sore but the hard skin hadn't broken. Without thinking, Mia started licking her paw. It made it feel a bit better and Mia didn't even think for a second how unsanitary this really was. Fleetfoot walked over when he saw she had stopped, and sniffed her paw.

"You are still a pup, and need to strengthen your paws. We should go back." 

Mia agreed to this, especially since they were many miles from the castle and she needed to get back before her hour was up and she changed back. They hadn't been running in a straight line so it didn't take them too long to run back to the small grove of trees the wolves used as a den. 

When they arrived, the pups got excited that the adults were back, but they were fearful of the big cat they brought with them until Mia helped them understand it was just her. Mia laid down in the leaves to rest and began cleaning and licking her poor paws. Pounce being the brave pup that he was, took the opportunity to jump on her and initiate a dog pile with all of the pups. Mia wrestled the pups for a few minutes when all of a sudden a familiar sensation came over her whole body and suddenly Mia was a 12 year old girl underneath a pile of very heavy wolf pups. It took them a minute of Mia's muffled yells before they realized she was back to her human self.

Mia laughingly shoved the pups off and made to stand up. Mia's whole body was exhausted. She brushed off most of the leaves and dirt off of her robes and asked Bearchaser to walk her back to the edge of the forest. It was a slow walk but half an hour later Mia was changing into her pajamas and fell into bed. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just got my novel manuscript back from my editor!! So excited to be so close to publishing ❤️❤️


	37. Second years

As the summer drew to a close all of the professors returned to begin prepping for the year and the castle began to fill once again with life. On the day the students were to return for the welcome feast Mia was overflowing with excitement. Mia dressed in her best robes and left her hair down in pretty waves, and she made her room spotless so the other girls wouldn't even notice she had been there all summer. Mia didn't know why she was so excited for the students to arrive. She wasn't particularly liked by most of them, and she had so much more freedom with the castle empty, but at the end of the day, Mia missed the hustle and bustle of a busy castle.

Mia was so impatient for the students to arrive she sat on her bed and tried to practice covering her arm in her thick white fur and then back to her pink skin. She was in the middle of smoothing her hand over the beautiful fur, trying to get used to the weirdness of being furry when four heavy wooden trunks suddenly appeared next to each of the empty beds with four loud thuds. Mia looked up with excitement. This meant the Hogwarts Express was here and the students were making their way up to the castle!

Mia jumped out of bed and ran down to the common room. She reached out to push open the portrait door and froze. Her arm was still covered in her white coat of hair. Mia grew panicked and nervous. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine her arm hairless. She opened her eyes and the hair was still there! 

Mia didn't want to be late to the feast and she wanted to see Hermione, and she just couldn't focus. It took Mia almost three minutes of calm breathing before she was able to change her arm back. As soon as her arm looked human Mia took off out the portrait hole and down to the great hall.

As she got to the large doors, the last of the students were making their way in and Mia slipped among them and headed straight for the Gryffindor table. She immediately saw Hermione's bushy head near the front next to all the open seats for the first years and Mia dropped down next to her. Hermione looked up at Mia with a start. Hermione had been looking around the room with worried eyes and when she saw Mia she cried out with joy. 

"Oh Mia! I was getting so worried! You haven't seen Ron and Harry have you? They weren't on the train and I've been worried sick!"

"What do you mean they weren't on the train?" Just at that moment, the doors to the great hall opened and a crowd of nervous looking first years shuffled in after Professor McGonagall.

The Sorting hat began to sing and Hermione continued in a whisper. "Just what I said! They were nowhere to be seen, and the scary thing is Ron's brother's and sister said they had been right behind them on the way into the platform. I'm worried something terrible happened. You know how those two are, always getting into trouble."

Mia couldn't agree more. They did seem to get into trouble very often. But something Hermione had said confused her. "What do you mean by Ron's sister? I thought he only had brothers?"

Hermione put on her 'I have the answer' face and spoke in a matter of fact way. "He has all older brothers, but his younger sibling is a girl. Ginny, she's very sweet, we met on the train. She's right there." Hermione pointed to a young girl with dark red hair. Mia should have known she was a Weasley.

Mia and Hermione started paying attention to the sorting and they cheered loudly when "Weasley, Ginerva." Was met with a loud "Gryffindor" and the girl ran over to sit with them. Just as Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll of first year's names Mia noticed something at the entrance hall doors. Harry and Ron were poking their heads in the room. Mia was about to point them out to Hermione when Professor Snape came up behind them with an evil grin on his face. 

It didn't look good for them.

The feast was amazing, but Mia started to worry for the boys when Professor Snape came back in and whispered to Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall and they followed him out of the great hall with grim looks on their faces. Dumbledore returned towards the end of the feast in time to give the start of term announcements. 

Mia noticed for the first time that there was a new face at the staff table. A dashing wizard with bright blond hair and even brighter robes of royal blue was sitting at the staff table, smiling largely while Dumbledore spoke. His teeth were so sparkly white Mia had to wince occasionally as the glare got in her eyes. This was the man on the back of her books. The books that were filled with more fluff than fact and read more like a fantasy novel than a textbook. Mia liked textbooks, and she didn't think she liked this man.

After the feast, Mia and Hermione raced up to the Gryffindor tower taking a shortcut Mia knew to beat the students. Mia spoke the password "wattle bird" and the girls entered the empty common room. Harry and Ron were nowhere to be seen. Mia dashed up the boys steps quickly and banged on the second year door. There was no answer so she returned to the common room disappointed.

The other Gryffindor's soon made it up to the tower and the common room was flooded with students happy to be home and among friends again. Many of the students started spreading rumors that Harry and Ron had been expelled. Fred and George joked about who would get his stuff when their mom killed him. 

"What?" Hermione looked startled. "How can you not be concerned about them?"

"Oh well, Harry we care about."

"Just not poor Ronniekins."

Hermione slapped the two twins on the back of the head and ran out of the common room to go look for them. As soon as Hermione left the twins laughed and turned to Mia. "So, Miss Black."

"How was your summer?"

"Feel like helping us with a little project later?" Mia smiled, she missed the twins and their shared way of talking.

"I would love to, dear Weasleys." 

Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil chose that moment to grace Mia with their terrible presence.

"So I see you're still around." Lavender had a look on her face like she smelled something foul. "What a shame." 

George mouthed  _ later  _ at Mia over Parvati's head while Fred made a strangling gesture towards Lavender.

"I can't believe they are making us share a room with an animal like you for the second year in a row!" Parvati gave a look like she was impressed with her own insult. Mia wanted so badly to transform her hand into a paw and show the girls what an animal she really was, but the thought of getting arrested for becoming an illegal Animagus made her stifle her anger and go up to her room. Lavender and Parvati would be up soon but at least she could close her hangings so she didn't have to see them. Mia changed into her nightgown and flopped onto her bed with one of her books as Fay Dunbar, her other roommate came into the room for bed.

They exchanged a few nice words and then Fay started unpacking and Mia went back to reading. Fay was a very quiet girl who was best friends with a Hufflepuff girl and didn't seem to be anymore scared of Mia than she was intimidated by most of her classmates.

When Mia heard Lavender and Parvati coming up the stairs she quickly shut her curtains and kept reading. It was a little while as the other girls began climbing into bed that the door opened one more time to an enraged Hermione. "Well! They really did it!"

Mia ripped open her curtains. "They were expelled!?"

"No! They flew a CAR to HOGWARTS!" Hermione rifled through her trunk, grabbed her toothbrush and pajamas and headed to the bathroom. It was clear Hermione didn't want to speak another word about it and all the girls knew she would be brushing her teeth for the next half hour so they all climbed into bed. Mia closed her curtains and tried to fall asleep while she listened to Lavender ask Parvati what a car was. Mia knew she would get the full story the next day once Hermione had calmed down. Until then, she would sleep, excited for her next day of classes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And year two commences. What do you think this year will hold?


	38. Start of Term

The new term quickly got under way and Mia fell into the rhythm of classes, homework, studying and her work on becoming an Animagus. Mia was glad to have people back in the castle making it feel warmer and more alive, but after being on her own for so long she spent most of her time keeping to herself. She wasn't avoiding her friends on purpose but it was just that she had so much else on her mind with working on her transformations into tiger form that she didn't really have anything to say to Hermione when they studied in the library or ate dinner in the great hall. She had spent so much time in secret that it was more of a habit to hold back.

Mia was so wrapped up in her Animagus work that she barely paid attention to the going on's of her classmates. The classes themselves hadn't changed too much from the previous year aside from having a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and a bit more homework from all the other classes. Mia decided after her first class in DADA that she did not like Gilderoy Lockheart one bit. He seemed completely self absorbed and his books where more fantasy than instructional. She could also tell that the other teachers seemed to hold something of contempt for him, although they always spoke of him with very cheap and transparent honor and respect.

Mia did well in her classes, but it wasn't because she was unusually bright or anything, it was because she understood classwork. Having the ability to write great essays, practically from memory didn't make her a great witch; it made her a great student. Although all of her classes were about magic in one way or another, you didn't have to be gifted in spell work to get O's. Most of her other classmates did shotty homework, but Mia having been a bit of a nerd in her muggle school always did fantastic with written work and tests. Mia was good with charms and basic spell work, but Professor Flitwick didn't score off of execution, he scored by effort and written work, so Mia didn't need to be excellent in her spells to get the similar grades as Hermione. 

The only class this was not true in was transfiguration. In Professor McGonagall's class, a student was graded firstly on their understanding of the theory of the specific transfiguration but mainly on the execution of the spell. Mia was great at understanding the theory, but for some reason, she just could never get the transfiguration to stick or work right. The only subject that Mia truly was the best in the class was potions. This was humors to Mia because Professor Snape was also the only teacher who had a clear and firm dislike of Mia. However, Mia could never hate him for this, because he was a master in her favorite subject and that made her want to earn his approval more than anything.

Despite Mia's apparent handicap in wand transfiguration, Mia's own personal transformation into an Animagus was going spectacular. She practiced transforming parts of her body into that of a tiger, and back to human form every night before she went to bed. Occasionally something would happen that would startle her or she would lose her temper and she would start an accidental transformation. This always scared her but she managed every time to get off by herself, sometimes by hiding in a bathroom and focused until she managed to turn the offending appendage back into human form.

The worst of these events was on her first day of class when the ridiculous Professor Lockhart released a swarm of cornish pixies on them in class. The small pixies flew around terrorizing the students and one of them, picking Mia as their target, proceeded to swoop in and hit her in the face repeatedly before flying off and coming back in for another round. Mia was never very good at defensive skills, so her instincts kicked in instead.

On the pixies third swoop at her she watched it with sharp catlike eyes and at just the right moment she struck her paw through the air and caught it in a trap between her claws. Mia looked with shock at the pixy in her clawed paws and the shocked pixy looked at her furry paws with the same surprise as Mia. Luckily the whole class was in complete chaos and the pixy quickly remembered to fight back. He stung her paw and then flew off as Mia buried her paws in her robes and ran out of the room with the rest of the class.

Mia made it all the way to a deserted bathroom on the fourth floor before she stopped running. She went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Mia's eyes were the almond shape of a tiger, and she had noticed on her run up to the bathroom that she could see much sharper than usual as well. She had never tried changing something like just her eyes or nose, and she hadn't really thought it possible. It took her almost two hours to change them back and she missed her lunch break and had to run, late to her next class. It had been difficult because she hadn't really wanted to change her eyes back, she liked the ability to see the world a little differently.

Mia never attempted a full transformation with out a potion, but as she practiced and practiced she grew better and faster at changing different parts of herself back and forth. She was a little scared that if she did manage a full transformation without a potion that she wouldn't be able to get back to human form again. With a potion she would know it would wear off in an hour or so, but what if she liked being a tiger too much and she couldn't convince her magic to turn her back?

Hogwarts was three weeks into classes and Mia knew it would be getting cold soon, so she was trying to savor the warm outdoors as long as she could. She spent most of her study time out at the Quidditch pitch up in the stands working on her transformations. With the castle full of students there were fewer places she could hide away from prying eyes. Mia spent her time in the box transforming different parts of her body into tiger form. She transformed her eyes, and watched the birds flying through the sky with crispness, she transformed her ears, and could clearly hear the wolves in the forest singing their pack songs. She transformed her nose and could smell the fishy lake water. She twitched her whiskers in disgust and transformed her nose back to a weak human nose.

A few of the house teams had begun practicing for the new season, but the seats were still isolated enough that she had privacy for her own practice. The teams didn't seem to mind her presence, or at least they hadn't minded until one of the Ravenclaw chasers missed the quaffle and it landed in her box.

Mia jumped startled as the ball crashed into her box. She hid her pawed hand under her robes as one of the chasers, a tall black boy who looked to be a third year, flew over and scooped up the ball. He jumped when he saw Mia sitting in the corner with school notes spread about her. The boy smiled and threw the quaffle high into the air and caught it easily as he flew off. She just watched him wondering what in the world that look was about.

Mia wasn't a very big fan of Quidditch, mainly because she was so scared of flying, but she didn't spend much time watching the players while she was out studying so she didn't know who the boy was from sight. She didn't really spend much time looking at any of her classmates for that matter. When she looked at them it seemed to make them talk about her more. Mia looked down onto her lap at all of her papers. The boy would have thought they were just school notes, but really it was all of her research on becoming an Animagus, and her paw was completely hidden in the folds of her robes so that couldn't have been what he was looking at. Was he just showing off? Maybe he didn’t recognize her either.

It was getting late and Mia needed to go inside so she spent a few moments concentrating on her paw and turning it back into a hand. Then she collected all of her papers and climbed down the stairs. As she exited the bleachers she realized the Ravenclaw team must have been calling it a night as well because all of the players were walking back up to the castle with her, brooms slung over a shoulder. Mia ducked her head and tried to walk swiftly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we get our first glimpse of our other OC <3 Next chapter you get to really meet them!!!


	39. New Friends

A tall brown haired boy came up from behind her and knocked the parchment and notebooks out of her hands and into the dirt. 

"What's this? A Gryffindor spy, coming to steal our moves?" Mia just looked up at the tall boy. He looked to be about a fifth year and he was much taller than Mia. He went to step on Mia's notes and grind them into the dirt but the black boy who had retrieved the quaffle earlier came up and pushed him out of the way.

"Davies! Leave her alone! She's not a spy; she just goes up there to study!"

Roger Davies, Mia knew the name from Fred and George talking about the new Ravenclaw Captain. "Oh, and how would you know that, since you've been on the house team all of three days?"

The younger boy looked as though he had gone through a recent growth spurt, but he didn't look like he had finished growing yet. He reached as tall as the older boy, but now he stretched himself up in defense of Mia seeming to tower over the caption. He spoke his next words as if trying to be intimidating but still out of the earshot of Mia. "I know, because that's Amelia Black. Her own house mates don't even like her, so why would they use her to spy?"

Mia ducked her head in shame as Roger gave the new boy a calculating look and then gave Mia a look of pity and walked away in a huff. Mia knelt down and started picking up her notes hoping the other boy would just leave her in her shame.

"I'm sorry about him." The boy knelt down and started helping her pick up her notes. "He can be a bit of an arse." He stood up dusting off the pages in his hands and stared down at the text. Mia's stomach fell out. "Animagus? What is this for?" These words were spoken not as the protector of her virtue but as a quizzical school boy.

"Oh, it's just an extra credit project I'm working on," Mia spoke the lie easily as she tried to grab the papers back, but the athletic boy quickly pulled them out of her reach.

"What class is this for? I don't remember any extra credit project." He started rifling through the pages, skimming the text and pulling it out of Mia's reach every time she reached for it.

"Well it's not like you would have the same projects as me, we're not even in the same year!" Mia was starting to get frustrated at this game.

The boy stopped jerking the papers around and Mia triumphantly grabbed them back and stuffed them into her notebook. "What do you mean we aren't in the same year? Of course, we are! We have three classes together!"

Mia blinked. "You're a second year?" Apparently she really didn't pay attention to her classmates.

The boy just stared at her and then suddenly started erupting in loud barking laughter. Mia blinked a few times. Adewumi, that was his last name. She remembered Professor McGonagall calling on him all the time. He was the boy in transfiguration who Hermione always competed with for top marks. And he was laughing so hard at Mia he was crying a little. 

She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him waiting for him to stop. "Gabriel. See I remember your name. Now stop crying!"

Gabriel stifled his laughs and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Oh man. First of all, I'm not crying. Testosterone is leaking from my eyes. And secondly, please, call me Gabe." He picked his broom up of the ground and slung it over his shoulder.

"Well, it's not my fault I didn't recognize you. What, did you grow a whole foot over summer? And second years rarely make the house team!" They turned and started walking up to the castle.

"Amelia, that excuse would only work if it wasn't for the fact that we have been in classes for three weeks already, and I sit in the same classrooms as you every day."

"Please call me Mia. The only people who call me Amelia are people who hate me or teachers." Mia thought about her words for a moment. "Actually, feel free to keep calling me Amelia if you prefer."

Gabe gave her a crooked smile and a light push with his shoulder. "Mia it is." They walked back to the castle in silence for a few minutes. Mia didn't know what to say to this boy. She didn't have many friends so she wasn't the best at small talk. Luckily Gabe broke the silence. "So that Animagus research, you said it's extra credit?"

Mia thought quickly, Ravenclaws were notorious for trying to get extra credit. He would know McGonagall hadn't given it to her. "Yes, it's for Professor Snape. I was researching theoretical advanced potions and he had me choose one and write a report on it."

"But isn't even the attempt to become an Animagus illegal? I didn't even know there was a potion involved; I thought it was straight transfiguration. You could be arrested for even making that potion and Snape would be just as responsible for allowing you."

Mia was happy once again that she seemed born to lie. Gabe was a very sharp person and he was poking holes all through her explanation. "Well that's true enough, but I said  _ theoretical _ advanced potions. He just told me to pick something and write a report on it. He knows it's too advanced for me to make. Plus he doesn't even know what potion I chose, I'm sure he will give me detention when I turn it in."

Gabe snorted out a laugh. "Now that sounds more like Snape." They walked up the front steps of the castle and started through the entrance hall. "Speaking of Potions..." Gabe stopped speaking suddenly. Mia just looked at him quizzically until he continued talking. "There was something I have been wanting to ask you. We've just never properly met so I didn't know how to approach you out of the blue."

Mia was confused. What would this boy want to talk to her about? "Are you going to say it or should I just keep hold of the suspense?"

Gabe laughed. "Sorry, it's just, it's kind of important to me. You see, last year when we got our final marks I did outstanding in all of my classes except one. Potions. I barely passed. I just really struggle with the concept and technique. Normally I would just say forget it, but I want to be an Auror some day and I know I need to pass potions on my NEWT's to do it."

Mia was smiling at this point. Leave it to a Ravenclaw to be planning out his NEWT's in his second year. Maybe Hermione really was in the wrong house. "So what does this have to do with me?"

"Well... After our exams, I went to Snape and asked him if there was any way I could get some tutoring, and he very insultingly told me there was absolutely no way he would ever waste his time on someone as hopeless as me. Then he told me the students who got the top grades in his class and said I could ask one of them. And I picked you." Now there was a big smile on Gabe's face. "So I was thinking. We can trade. I can help you in Transfiguration, and you can help me in Potions."

"Why do you think I need help in transfiguration?" Mia was being stubborn she knew, but she didn't like admitting her absolute failure in transfiguration. Gabe just let out another barking laugh.

"Really? You know we are in the same class, right? You're almost as bad as Longbottom." Mia had narrowed her eyes and was about to walk away. "Hey! I don't mean it like that! Really you should see me in Potions. I'm not even a little bit afraid of Snape and I am still WAY worse than Neville. We once had to serve detention together, for melting our cauldrons in class. I'm just happy the Gryffindor's and Ravenclaw's don't have potions together. I don't think the dungeons could take our combined stupidity."

This made Mia smile, and she forgave his crack at her transfiguration marks. "Ok, so when do you want to study? From the sounds of it, we both need a lot of help."

Gabe smiled. "Tomorrow. It's almost Curfew and I really need to take a shower after that Quidditch practice."

They had stopped at the foot of the staircases that would lead them to their separate towers. Mia pinched her nose and took a step back. "Oh yes, please go shower!"

Gabe gave her a small shove and Mia laughed and started up her staircase. "Mia!" Gabe called after her and she stopped and looked back. "It was wonderful finally meeting you." He gave a half sarcastic bow and straightened up with a crooked smile. "Have a wonderful night."

Mia smiled back and started back up the stairs. Her stomach was turning over and she wasn't quite sure why. She was excited to start studying with Gabe. He was just the kind of person Mia wanted as a friend. Smart, kind to everyone, and knows how to laugh. Perhaps this year wouldn't be as lonely as her first year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think of Gabe? He's my other OC, and I love him. I'm so glad you finally get to meet him!


	40. Unexpected Company.

The first lesson of the day was Transfiguration. Mia entered the empty class and went to take her usual seat by the window. She didn't look up as her classmates began to file in. Gabe would be in this class and even though they had agreed to help each other, Mia didn't expect him to declare his friendship and sit by her. She was still one of the least popular kids in the school and she knew Gabe would be taking a risk even studying with her. So as students came in she kept her eyes on her desk. This way she wouldn't feel disappointed when he came in and sat elsewhere.

The chair next to her suddenly scooted as someone plopped into it. Mia looked up. The room wasn't even full yet. The chair next to her usually didn't fill until the person who was late to class was forced to take it. Mia looked up into the sparkling copper eyes of Gabe. He had a crooked smile on his face. "Oh sorry, was this seat taken?"

"That depends, did you shower this morning?" Gabe bit back a laugh as Professor McGonagall came in carrying a cage full of random and beat up looking small animals. Mia's stomach fell out as she heard the animals chatting anxiously.

Professor McGonagall lowered the cage onto her desk and began speaking. "We will now be starting our unit on animal transformation into objects. This will be on your final exams." There was a rush of people pulling out notebooks and quills. "Today we start with animals into water goblets." 

The Professor began her lecture on the principles of animal transfiguration and the techniques required. Mia took notes as she panicked. She didn't want to turn an animal into a water goblet! She could speak to and understand animals and she had a feeling her animal wouldn't react well to her failed attempts. The things Mia tried to transform usually exploded.

She also didn't want anyone to realize she could speak to animals. Ever since she had discovered this wasn't a common thing even among wizards, Mia hadn't told a soul. Gabe was bound to notice her whispered apologies to her animal before she roasted it.

When the Professor finished her lecture, she had a pair of Ravenclaw students hand out the animals to each student. The Ravenclaw girl placed a tame looking gopher on her desk and gave a curious ferret to Gabe.

Mia looked at her gopher with horror. Gabe saw the look in her face. "What's wrong, you're not scared of groundhogs are you?"

The gopher looked up at Gabe with a look of animal indignation.  _ "I'm a gopher thank you very much! Honestly! Some humans have the nerve!" _

Mia stifled a laugh. Of course, Gabe hadn't heard a word the gopher said. Instead, she just answered his question. "It's just, most of my transfigurations end up in explosions, and I don't want this little gopher to suffer that fate."

" _ Oh, get on with it! I've been a transfiguration gopher for 16 years and I haven't been killed yet. Suck it up, you wanker!" _

"Now that isn't very nice!" This time Mia forgot herself and spoke directly to the gopher. "Keep talking like that and I may just  _ try _ to blow you up." Mia suddenly stopped talking she looked at Gabe who was looking at her with the most humorous expression on his face.

"Talking to animals now?" Mia's face went bright red. "Come on, just focus." He turned back to his ferret and pointed his wand straight at its nose.

The ferret didn't seem quite as fearless as the gopher and it closed its eyes. " _ Oh, I hate this part!" _

Mia grew nerves for the ferret but Gabe tapped his wand three times and spoke the words " _ Fera Verto!"  _ with confidence and with a small whooshing sound his Ferret transformed into a crystal water goblet with fine etchings of trees on the sides.

"Oh splendid!" Professor McGonagall was walking around praising the students who achieved the best results and reverting animals back to their original forms for the students to try again. Professor McGonagall walked over to Mia and Gabe's table and cast an unmaking spell to revert the goblet back to its animal form.

The ferret shook its head as if stopping a sneeze.  _ "Man that always tickles!" _

"Now Mr. Adewumi, try that again, but see if you can change and control the material the goblet becomes. Maybe a silver goblet next?"

Gabe nodded to the professor and waited until she had turned away. "Ok Mia, your turn. Just go for it. Don't overthink it." Mia nodded and lifted her wand and pointed it at the gopher.

" _ Now child, please try to do it right! Half transformations are always so uncomfortable. Though by the look of you I doubt you will do much of anything." _ Mia ignored the gopher's rude taunts and spoke the words of the spell. Nothing happened.  _ "Really? Is that the best you can do? My kits can do better than that!"  _ Gabe started to say something but Mia was frustrated at the gopher and ignored him. Mia spoke the words again and still nothing happened.  _ "Oh come on you stupid witch, it's pronounced Fera Verto, you have to hold out the rrrrto." _

Mia was growing frustrated and muttered angrily at the gopher to shut up and pointed her wand at the gopher and spit out the words. " _ Fera Verto" _ suddenly the gopher seized up and froze. A silver sheen covered the whole animal.

Mia stared at the gopher shocked and frightened she had killed it. Gabe looked at it in surprise and rapped a knuckle on the gopher’s head. "It's solid silver. That's rather impressive." He was trying to be encouraging but Mia wasn't able to smile.

Gabe's ferret passed over and sniffed the gopher.  _ "Now she deserved that. Sharp Whisker is a prat. You're doing great for your first lesson dear."  _ Mia smiled at the small animal's kindness.

Professor McGonagall stalked over to their table again and pointed her wand at the gopher. "Strong magic yes, but still not the point of the excursive, Miss Black.  _ Reverto _ ." The gopher returned to animal form and started laughing at Mia and pointing out her incompetence. Mia swept her arm across her desk and knocked the gopher off the surface and onto the floor. She then rested her head onto her books and closed her eyes. Now Gabe could see what a failure she really was, and he probably thought she was insane muttering to the animals and blaming them for her failure.

Gabe realizing Mia wasn't up for talking finished the lesson practicing his transfiguration a few more times then started on his homework essay. His ferret snuggled up to Mia and let her pet him, whispering encouraging words into her ear. As soon as the class was dismissed Mia scooped up her things and disappeared in shame out the door before Gabe could say a word.

After Herbology, Mia went to the great hall for lunch, and sat down at the Gryffindor table to eat, picking at her food sulkily. She was still in a foul mood after her transfiguration class. All she wanted to do was to go run with the wolves.

Someone dropped into the seat next to Mia. She really didn't want to listen to Hermione go on about their charms essay any longer so she kept her head bent trying not to encourage the brainy girl. 

"So anyways. I was thinking we could start studying after lunch, if we eat quickly we could get a solid half hour of study in before our next class. Then after dinner, we can head back to the library and really dig into some work."

Mia looked up in confusion. Those where the normal words to come out of Hermione's mouth, but that was definitely not Hermione's voice. She looked blankly at the boy sitting next to her. Gabe was cramming a sandwich into his mouth and tried a smile around the roast beef when she looked at him. She couldn't keep a straight face and smiled back. "Aren't you supposed to be at the Ravenclaw table?"

Gabe took his time chewing the large amount of food in his mouth and swallowed before he answered. "So what, too good to sit by me now? Come on! Eat up! We got to study!" He crammed another large bite into his mouth. Mia laughed and quickly ate her lunch, happy to know this boy still wanted to be her friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, hopefully these post in the correct order, with chapter 40 before 41.. sorry for any confusion there.


	41. Success

Later in the library, Gabe held a thick text book up in front of his face. "What are the four branches of transfiguration?"

Mia didn't have to think. "Transformation, Vanishment, Conjuration and Untransfiguration."

Gabe laughed as she rapidly fired off the answers. "Ok so it's clear knowledge of the subject isn't your problem." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "OK!" Gabe snapped the book shut startling Mia and set it aside. "Close your eyes." Mia, not yet sure if she should trust the bold boy sitting next to her, hesitantly closed her eyes. They were in the library studying transfiguration. After the horrible class they had just experienced, Gabe had suggested that they work on Mia's tutoring before his. He had borrowed the ferret he had used in class and brought it with them. Mia had seemed to get along better with the ferret than with the gopher. He didn't know why, but he decide to bring the ferret for practice.

He chuckled at her hesitation. "Now think. When you use magic where does it come from deep inside you? When you cast a charm you speak the incantation and the magic just sort of rises out of that place inside of you and flows into your wand, shaped by the words, or thoughts in the case of wandless magic. But when you do a transfiguration spell it's different. Think about it, when two people transfigure a cat into a goblet, how come the goblet never looks the same for each person? It's because the spell takes more than just the words. It takes  _ intent. _ It's very intentional Magic. It requires you to shape the magic before it comes out. Now." Gabe took Mia's hand and placed her wand in it while her eyes were still closed, and he pointed her wand at the ferret. "Reach for that magic inside of yourself, and as you speak the incantation shape the magic and  _ make _ it take the form you want."

Mia took a deep breath, her eyes still closed and she reached for her magic. She tapped three times and spoke clearly, " _ Fera Verto!"  _

Gabe smiled big. "Open your eyes." Mia's eyes opened and immediately met Gabe's warm copper brown eyes as he smiled big at her. Then she looked at the table and saw the ferret was gone, and in its place was a simple water goblet with an innate scratchy pattern around the rim. Her heart filled with joy and she quickly leaped up and gave Gabe a big hug.

Remembering herself she pulled away quickly. "Sorry! But thank you! I didn't think I could do it!"

He laughed, as his hidden blush from the hug left his face. "Of course you could do it! You have the magic inside of you the whole time; you just have to see a little differently to release it."

Mia smiled. "You know you're pretty wise for a 12 year old."

Gabe let out a roaring laugh. "Well, I am a Ravenclaw!"

Mia looked at the goblet. "Now change him back! I want to make sure he's ok!" Gabe pointed his wand at the goblet and spoke the reversal spell. The ferret shook out his head again as the magic left him and Mia reached out a finger to scratch behind his ears. "Thanks for your help."

"You're welcome," Gabe said.

" _ You're welcome,"  _ the ferret said.

Mia stifled a laugh. Both were deserving of her thanks so she let the confusion go. Though she wouldn't tell Gabe what she found so funny no matter how many times he asked. Mia thought about the magic she had just performed. 

"It's strange, the magic required for Transfiguration is so much different from the magic used for charm work. For Charms I just have to think about it and I do it. For transfiguration…. It's like I have to feel it and then make it happen." Mia though on this for a moment. She usually didn't feel comfortable talking around people but Gabe made it very easy to say exactly what she was thinking. "It reminds me of an Animagus transformation, which is weird because they are usually considered completely different types of magic."

Mia stopped suddenly as she realized exactly what she had said. Maybe being able to speak her mind wasn't a good thing. She looked up at Gabe to judge his reaction to her comment. He had a very quizzical look on his face. "How do you know what being an Animagus feels like?"

"No, I said it sounds like it works the same way, not that I've ever done it. Please Gabe, I'm only a second year! I just read once that the ability requires a lot of intent." Mia tried to keep a straight face as she lied through her teeth.

Gabe just smirked and turned back to the ferret. "Oh, that's right, your extra credit project. You do know it's illegal to try it, right?"

"Of course I know that! I'm not planning on making that potion any time soon, trust me." Mia felt proud of herself, that one wasn't a lie. She had already made it. Why would she need to make it again? "Now let's pack this stuff up. We have to get to class soon, and after dinner, we can work on potions!"

Gabe got a look on his face like he was going to be sick. "Oh joy." 

They packed up their bags and headed their separate ways to class. Mia took the ferret since she had to pass by the transfiguration class on her way to charms.

As they walked down the hall Mia struck up a conversation with the ferret, whose name was apparently Digger.

"So it really doesn't hurt when we turn you into things?" Mia was so concerned for their safety.

" _ Of course not. We are magical animals. Magical animals are different from the everyday ones you see in nature. You don't think all owls just naturally think to carry the post do you?" _

Mia couldn't argue with the animal’s logic. "So you were trained to be a transfiguration ferret?

Digger turned his head as if thinking. " _ Well no, not exactly. When most magical animals are born we have abilities. You know, rabbits who can turn themselves into hats, rats who do cartwheels, that sort of thing. We have to be trained at it, and then get sold to pet stores or the like. But some of us aren't very good at it so we get sold for other things. Being a school ferret is actually a very prestigious title. _ "

Mia wondered to herself just who it was that thought being a class experiment was prestigious when the animals probably didn't talk to other animals outside of the school, but she decided to keep that to herself. "So you were trained to be able to handle transfiguration?"

" _ No, that's not how it works. I wasn't very good at normal ferret tricks so a wizard put loads of protecting spells on me to keep me in one piece. I don't do anything special except not run away when you point your wand at me." _ The ferret didn't seem to be very excited at his admission of no skills.

"You did much more than that. You encouraged me to keep trying and helped me not to get too mad at the gopher when I got angry. And you were willing to be my partner even though I'm really bad at it." Mia turned a corner and was finally in sight of the transfiguration class. "I think you are the bravest smartest ferret in the whole world, and I am happy to call you friend."

"Mia?" Mia stopped suddenly as she came face to face with Harry. She looked startled and wondered exactly what he had heard. "Were you talking to that ferret?"

"Oh, well, not really."

"Not really?" Harry just looked at her and cracked a smile. "How can you be not really talking to an animal?"

"Well I mean I wasn't talking to it like I expected it to respond or anything. I was just talking  _ at _ it." They both stood there awkwardly for a moment. "Well anyways, I should return this guy to Professor McGonagall before we are late to charms!"

"I will wait for you so we can walk down together. I was just talking to McGonagall about a Quidditch thing, but we can head back together."

Mia smiled weakly. "Sure." She went in and returned the ferret to the cage of animals before heading back into the hallway to find Harry waiting for her. She nodded to him and they both silently started heading to class.

"So how have you been? I feel like I haven't really seen you since term began."

"Harry, we have all the same classes, of course, you've seen me!" They kept walking in silence. "But I know what you mean. I have been kind of distracted lately."

"Well, just know Hermione, Ron and I am here if you need anything. We are your friends after all."

Mia looked at him unconvinced. "Ron?"

Harry laughed lightly. "It's not like he hates you. He hates Malfoy. He knows you're not the same and he trusts you." Mia shot him a look. "Ok, maybe not trust, but you're definitely growing on him. You do have to give him credit. He grew up hearing horror stories about death eaters like your father, and that's kind of hard to forget."

"Well, when is his birthday? Maybe I will just buy him a big bag of chocolate frogs."

Harry laughed. "That might work actually." They walked the rest of the way to the class and before they entered Harry turned to Mia. "Just remember. We're your friends, even Ron. So don't stay a stranger this year." Mia nodded as they entered the full classroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note to self: don't talk to animals when people are around if you want to keep a secret.  
> Posting a second chapter today since I forgot yesterday <3


	42. Friendly Sacrifices

As the weeks wore on, Mia and Gabe spent most of their time together. When they weren't studying in the library Mia would hang out at the pitch and read while Gabe had practice. Often times they would join Hermione and sometimes Ron and Harry while they all worked on classwork. Mia had been helping Gabe with his potions work and he was starting to improve a ton on the written work and homework.

It became evident that much of his frustration in class was due to his strong dislike of Snape. This was a common problem for most of the students, but for Gabe, it went deeper. His father had drilled the principle of respect into his children from a very young age and one of the main points was that respect was earned. Gabe didn't respect Snape's teaching style on any level and his disrespect often turned into arrogance. Gabe's main problem was that he didn't feel like Snape had anything to teach him and Snape's usual teaching method was to simply ignore and not teach the students he knew would fail anyway.

Gabe admitted his bad grades were all his fault but the rebellious pride in his pre-teen heart wouldn't allow him to do anything but loath Snape in his classes and often led to him being super distracted and messing up his potions in anger. Now that Gabe was out of his first year and had learned how horrible he had done in class and was at risk of not even being able to take NEWT level potions when the time came, and because his mother was a healer specializing in potions for St. Mungo's and was extremely disappointed in his grades, he was trying to do better in class. But having missed all of the beginning steps from first year, he needed loads of help.

Mia had been helping him study for three weeks and he was getting much better. He understood the concept and could verbally walk Mia through the preparation and execution of some of the simpler potions, but when it came to class time, he always reported back to Mia with bad results. Mia wished she could sit in on a class with him and watch. She mentioned this to him and Hermione one day while studying.

"You should just ask if you can use the potions class some time after hours for practice. I'm sure Snape wouldn't mind a few students trying to get better."

Gabe gave Hermione a look of pity. "How sad that you actually believe that. Snape doesn't care for one second if I become an Auror or not, and he hates Mia! He would never let us in his class outside of the time he's forced to."

Mia laughed and nodded in agreement, but Hermione just shook her head. "I really don't get why he hates you so much Mia. He doesn't like me because I'm a know-it-all, but usually, he is at least tolerant of students who show promise, even when they are in other houses, and you are the best in the practice of potions in our year! But I've seen him; it's almost as if he wishes he could make you fail. I know he saw Goyle put that goose weed in your potion last week and he just let it happen."

"I don't know." Mia thought for a moment. "Harry asked me one time, because he's just as unexplainably cruel to me as he is to him. Every time I do a potion well he looks at me like he wishes to hex me, and he stopped calling on me ages ago in hopes I would get an answer wrong so he could make fun of me like he does Harry. It's like he realizes I'm going to succeed in his class no matter what and he really wishes he could just make me disappear."

"Well we don't study vanishing potions until fifth year so hopefully you will be safe." Mia and Hermione laughed quietly at Gabe's joke, not wanting to get kicked out of the library.

After a moment Mia's face lit up and she jumped out of her chair. "That's it!"

"What's it? We are gonna make Snape disappear?" Mia started packing up her stuff and motioned for Gabe to do the same.

"Hermione, I will see you back in the common room, we have to go." Before Hermione or Gabe could speak, Mia grabbed Gabe's arm and pulled him out of the library. Gabe started protesting and asking her where they were going but Mia just pulled him all the way, up staircases and down corridors.

"Mia! Where the bloody hell are we going!" Mia came to a sudden stop so that they were standing in the middle of the seventh floor corridor next to a tapestry of trolls learning ballet.

"Can you keep a secret?" Mia turned to Gabe and looked him straight in the eye. "Like a big secret?"

Gabe huffed once and let out all of his annoyance of being dragged around the castle. Then he straightened up and looked her back fully in the face. With a serious mouth, he spoke. "Yes. I will keep any secret you ever give me. You can trust me with anything." Mia nodded once in conformation, slightly confused at how serious he was, and took his hand again. She turned so that she was facing the tapestry and closed her eyes tight in concentration. Gabe just looked at her in confusion until suddenly she turned around pulling him with her and walked towards the wooden door that had just appeared behind them. "Wow, wait. That wasn't there a moment ago was it?"

Mia just looked up at him with a wicked smile on her face and pushed open the door before them. Inside was a wide open stone room with large pillars spaced out thought the room and going up to the ceiling. In the middle of the room was a long wooden table with a cauldron set up on a burner with various potion tools set around it.

Mia had spent a lot of time over the summer in this room learning what she could make it do. She had learned that the room also supplied anything she needed. "I found this room over the summer. I've tried to learn what it is, but it's not listed in Hogwarts a History, and it doesn't seem like anyone else in the school even knows that it's here." They had walked into the room and Gabe walked over to the table looking at the potion tools on it. "I figured this would be the perfect place to practice potions. Gryffindor's have potions the day before Ravenclaw so if we just came in here every Thursday night I could teach you the potion before you have to do it in class. That way you will already know what to do, and in class you can just fully concentrate on not hating Snape."

Mia looked up at Gabe to judge his reaction, and he just looked back at her with a look she had never seen before. "You're the most brilliant witch I've ever met."

Mia blushed. "Don't think this means I'm going to just give you the answers, Adewumi." She walked over and playfully punched him in the arm. "You still have to do it all on your own out of the book and I will just watch and stop you from making any big mistakes that could blow us up!"

From that point on Mia and Gabe spent a lot of their time in the room on the seventh floor working on potions. Gabe did great in their night sessions and he slowly began to improve in classes as well. He still had little respect for Snape, despite Mia's belief that he was a fantastic potions master, but now that Gabe at least understood the curriculum and knew how to do the work, he found it much easier to tolerate Snape's lack of teaching. Mia on the other end was only ever successful in transfiguration when she had Gabe close by helping her. He seemed to have a knack for keeping her calm and focused when she tried her spells. Without him, she was very easily aggravated by transfiguration and tended to act rashly, and as she had often learned, anger and magic didn’t mix.

Two weeks after Mia had shown Gabe her secret room, Mia was in the Great Hall with Harry, Ron and Hermione after a very frustrating Defense Against the Dark Arts class where they had to give reviews on witch head shot they thought professor Lockhart should use for his next book. Mia had just sat down to lunch when Gabe came running in and plopped down next to her slapping a piece of parchment down in front of her. "I got a 90%! I did so well Snape even accused me of cheating!"

Mia looked up into the boy's bright eyes. "That's wonderful! Did he give you detention as well?" Mia was happy for him, but she couldn't help the sarcastic response.

Gabe's smile drooped a little. "Actually…"

"What?" All four Gryffindor's broke out in angry yells. Harry looked on in shock, Ron just started cursing at Snape while Hermione hit Ron with her rolled up essay over his head with a Smack.

"Yeah, after I made the potion and turned in my observations on it, he asked me if I was cheating and I said I had done it all on my own." Gabe took a pause to take a big bite out of a corned beef sandwich before he continued. With tests Mia never told Gabe what Potion they would have to make, she just made sure he knew the techniques and material he needed. "I told him no, I didn't cheat. Then he called me a liar." Gabe took another bite as if stalling. "Then I got a little frustrated and I asked him how it was possible to cheat when physically making a potion. And I may have pointed out that if he spent his time actually teaching instead of demoralizing his students he may have known that. Then he gave me detention tomorrow night for my cheek."

"But tomorrow nights Halloween!"

"You really should have been more respectful.”

"But tomorrow nights HALLOWEEN!"

"You're gonna miss the dancing skeletons!"

"He couldn't possibly make you miss the festivities!"

"That bloody WANKER!"

_ Smack. _ "RON!"

"OW! Lay off, you bloody woman!"

_ Smack. _

"Well, it's not like we are going to the festivities either." Hermione unrolled her parchment and continued working on her essay.

Mia snickered while Ron and Harry's faces dropped. Gabe had no idea why they wore looks like someone had just died. 

"Why aren't you guys going?" Gabe asked.

Mia smiled brightly and answered before Hermione. "Because the golden trio are such good friends, they have decided to skip the festivities in honor of Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party." Mia snickered louder and Ron kicked her under the table.

Gabe got a look of pity on his face. "Man I don't know who will have it worst. I have to scrub out cauldrons and pick through moldy potion ingredients, but you three have to go to a party where they actually serve moldy potion ingredients as appetizers."

Ron looked absolutely horrified at this declaration. "You mean there won't be any food?"

"Not the kind of food living people eat," Gabe said this fondly as he finished off his sandwich.

"Forget it. Harry, tell Nick I'm sorry I couldn't make it but I came down with Spattergroit or something." Ron seemed made up on the matter but Hermione turned on him.

"Ron, we promised Sir Nicholas that we would be there! Besides, I'm sure if you did say you were out sick he would come to the hospital wing to check on you because he's a good friend and not some whiney little prat who refuses to skip a meal!"

Mia just took a big gulp of pumpkin juice and smiled brightly at her unfortunate friends. "Well I will be here for the party, and I promise to tell you all how wonderful and spectacular it is."

Gabe just looked at Mia with big puppy dog eyes. "But wouldn't you have so much more fun with me cleaning out cauldrons? You could wait until Snape leaves me alone and returns to the feast, then sneak down and help me out."

Mia burst out in a fit of laughter that drew a few passing students' eyes. Hermione was the one to answer. "Gabe, you were the one who insulted Professor Snape, so it's your own fault you got the detention. You should have to do it yourself."

"Yeah but Snape would have given him the detention either way," Harry said.

"Harry's right. I doubt it would have mattered what he said, he still would have gotten the detention," Ron said.

"But Ron, I'm sure if he had at least been polite, Professor Snape would have given him regular detention on a different night."

"But  _ Hermione _ , Snape is a prat and deserved someone telling him like it is. I'm honored to be Gabe's friend and I think Mia should help him out! He deserves some sort of reward for telling Snape off."

"Whoa, Ron, I know how much you hate Snape, but why don't you just go tell him off yourself rather than trying to volunteer me to help with Gabe's detention!" Mia crossed her arms in determination. She was  _ not _ going to sacrifice her Halloween for the sake of Gabe's self righteous respect issues. 

Or so she thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And things pick up!
> 
> Chapter 40 and 41 got posted out of order originally, so if you read 41 the day it dropped you may have missed 40, and need to go back and read.


	43. Halloween

The Great hall was spectacular. There were carved pumpkins lit with candles floating through the air, and loads of bats swooping down and flying around the enchanted night sky. Students were happily laughing and cramming their faces with sweets. The feast was amazing. There was every kind of sweet or candy a person could imagine including, Mia's favorite pumpkin pasties and Honeydukes brand chocolate.

Mia sighed to herself as she secretly loaded her bag under the table full of sweets. Snape hadn't made an appearance yet, but as soon as he did, Mia would sneak down to the dungeons and help her prat of a friend with his detention. Why did she let them talk her into helping? She at least got to attend some of the feast, but it had just started and the real show wasn't going to start until after dinner.

Just then the doors to the great hall creaked open and Professor Snape stalked in with a look of pleasure on his face. Mia thought to herself this probably wasn't a good sign. She sighed once more and stole another hand full of pasties before she rose and exited the great hall, headed for the dungeons.

Mia was well known for leaving feasts early from her antisocial days, so she knew she wouldn't be missed as she snuck out of the hall. The room was so loud with cheerful student's no one noticed her for a moment. As she closed the doors behind her she stole one last look at the staff table and spied a jubilant McGonagall offering a licorice wand to a grumpy Snape.

Mia walked down the staircases into the cold underground of the castle, her cheeriness leaving her as the cold and quiet seeped in. She came to the potions door and pulled the door open. "There she is!" Mia blinked. Gabe wasn't alone after all.

"Amelia, what a-are you doing here?" Neville Longbottom blinked up at Mia with something like shock and fright mixed together, as he sat on the floor with a cauldron in his lap that he was scrubbing.

"She's come to help us of course!" Gabe spoke this to Neville and then turned to Mia. "You do still have your wand don't you? Snape's taken ours so that we have to do this work by hand!"

Mia laughed. "And what makes you think I'm going to help? Maybe I will just sit here and watch you guys scramble about and clean the muggle way while I eat this!" Mia took one of the clean cauldrons they had already scrubbed and poured out the contents of her bag into it.

"Alright!" Gabe jumped up and started digging through the cauldron taking what he wanted. Neville just looked up longingly then went back to his cauldron. "Come on Neville, eat up before I eat it all."

Neville muttered to himself that he was fine and just concentrated on the cauldron. Gabe shot Mia a confused look and Mia just shook her head. She knew Neville had always been skittish around her but she hadn't been in a setting with him that forced him to talk to her in a while. Was he really still that scared of her?

Mia tossed a few packs of Every Flavor Beans and Licorice wands down to Neville. "Here I know they are your favorite." Neville looked up startled but Mia pretended not to notice and took out her wand. "There really is no point for you to do that by hand, here I will clean them all real fast then we can spend the rest of the night talking. When it gets closer to midnight I will leave and you guys can spend the rest of the time re-cleaning a cauldron by hand so it looks like you’re almost finished when Snape comes back."

"But if we get caught we will get into even more trouble." Neville looked worried. "I think we should just do them by hand Gabe. We are the ones who earned the detentions."

Gabe just looked on flabbergasted, unable to speak. Mia cut in. "Neville, how did you get that detention?" Neville started stammering so Mia cut him off and finished for him.

"You were making your potion, and doing pretty well too, when Snape started going off on you and your hands started shaking so much you dropped in too much essence of murkin. It wasn't your fault your potion exploded again! No one can work well under those circumstances." Neville looked down and nodded. "And Gabe got his detention because I've been tutoring him, and he finally got a good grade so Snape thought he was cheating. Mind you he was a bit ruder than he should have been." At this Mia glared at Gabe, who just smiled fondly as he ate a chocolate frog. "So in honor of the injustice of having to miss the festivities, I am going to shorten your work. End of subject."

Gabe just sat on a desk with a big grin on his face and watched as Mia made an assembly line of floating dirty cauldrons and cleaned and stacked them in the shelves.

Once she was finished she hopped onto the desk next to Gabe and started eating some more Pumpkin Pasties. The three kids talked for a while, Neville saying the least, and as midnight approached Mia got ready to leave.

"Hey Neville, you know Mia has been tutoring me in potions for the last few weeks. It's done wonders for my marks, and if you want, you can totally join us."

Gabe looked at Neville expectantly but the boy just looked down and muttered something about Hermione offering to help him more. Mia just shrugged at Gabe and passed him a cauldron to pretend to clean until Snape got back.

"Hey, he should be back soon, just wait at the end of the corridor for us and we can walk up together." Mia turned and looked at Gabe, rolling her eyes. "Sure, I'm gonna wait in the dungeons at midnight on Halloween night all by myself for you. That's definitely going to happen." Gabe just smiled sweetly and Mia walked out of the classroom, slamming the door behind her.

She walked down the corridor towards a statue she could hide behind and wait for Gabe. Yes, she was waiting for him, but the least she could do was scare him half to death in the process. It was only a few moments before Mia heard a sound approaching from the opposite end of the corridor and Snape appeared. He walked down the hall and Mia could hear the door to the potions classroom open and shut in the distance. Mia waited a few more minutes until she heard the door open again and two pairs of feet making their way down the hall. One of the pairs was taking the corridor at a run, and Mia paused, confused to see Neville run past, and up the corridor towards the ground level.

It was only a moment later when Gabe walked closer at a casual pace. Mia readied herself and waited until he had just walked by her hiding space when she jumped out and in her most manly and deep voice possible let out a dying moan.

Gabe with his Chaser fast reflexes jumped about two feet into the air and did a little twitchy dance as he stumbled and pulled out his wand. By the time he straightened himself out and turned around Mia was standing calmly in the middle of the corridor with her arms crossed in front of her and a smirk on her face. It was all she could do not to break up laughing in his face.

When Gape saw her all of his gusto left him and a deep blush rose on his dark cheeks. "Oh, little girl you have no idea what you have just done."

"What? Did I make you wet yourself" Mia finished her sentence with a dignified tongue sticking out at him.

"No," Gabe took a big threatening step towards Mia so that his face was only a few inches from her face. "You just started a prank war. One you won't likely survive. Just wait, I will get you back."

Mia lost her composure at this and started laughing in his face. "And what was that little move you did earlier?" Mia acted like she had ants in her pants. "Is that how you unnerve the enemy before prepping for your attack?" Mia broke out in a fit of giggles that was leaving her short on air as Gabe just watched her hoping she choked.

Mia was too busy laughing to notice Harry, Ron and Hermione running down the hallway. "Did you hear it? Did you hear the voice?"

"Harry, what are you talking about?" Hermione looked worried.

"There it is again! Come on!"

Harry took off at a run down the corridor and up the staircase. Hermione looked worried and Ron looked exasperated as they took off after him. Mia and Gabe just exchanged looks, shrugged and ran up behind them. Harry led them up a staircase, and down a corridor, and up another staircase until they were on the second floor. Mia looked down in disgust; the floor was flooded with water.

"Ug what is this?" Ron asked. 

Mia looked knowingly at Ron. He had clearly never been a girl on the second floor and needed to use the bathroom before. Hermione beat her to the punch explaining the water.

"It's this bathroom; Myrtle floods it from time to time. But Harry why are we here?" All four students looked at Harry as he stood still in the middle of the puddle looking at the wall.

"What is that?" Mia looked at the wall and written across it in large red letters was a message.

**THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE.**

"It looks like blood." There was also something hanging from the wall, and as Mia squinted her eyes, and changed them for a moment to tiger eyes so that she could see in the low lit room, the bottom of Mia's stomach fell out and she grabbed Gabe's hand as he stood next to her.

Hermione had just made out the identity of the poor creature as well, and let out a whimper. "That's Mrs. Norris! She isn't dead is she?"

Mia could tell the feast had ended as she heard a large group of students coming down the corridor towards them. When the students from the feast reached the water, some of the girls started screeching, and everyone in back of the crowed started pushing forward trying to see what was going on.

Mr. Filch quickly came along trying to break up the students hollering about students not being where they belonged when he spied the message on the wall, and the lifeless body of his dear cat.

"No! Mrs. Norris? No, it-it can't be!" The old man stammered over to the cat, and detached its tail from the wall. "Who did this?" Gabe quickly stepped back, pulling Mia into the crowd behind them as Mr. Filch rounded on Harry saying he had it out for the cat. Professor Dumbledore soon swept in and pulled Mr. Filch away as a few of the other teachers told all of the students to go to bed.

Gabe pulled Mia aside as the other students filed off to their houses. "What do you suppose all of that was?"

"I don't know, Harry has complained of headaches before, but never hearing voices! What is this Chamber of Secrets?"

Gabe looked thoughtful. "I don't know, but we will hit the library up tomorrow. See what you can find out from Hermione." The two kids nodded to each other and parted ways. Mia found Hermione in the common room and disappeared up to their dorm with her, although the know-it-all only admitted to being worried about Harry, but not knowing anything about the chamber. The girls sat around speculating until their dorm mates came up, and then all went to bed, hoping to get more answers in the morning.


	44. The Chamber Of Secrets Has Been Opened

The next few weeks didn't bring much to light about the Chamber of Secrets or why it had been opened. There wasn't any information about it in Hogwarts a History as the chamber was only legend so the students were clueless. Gabe had 'retaliated' against Mia for scaring him by charming the ink in her inkwell to go invisible five minutes after use. This confused and frustrated Mia all day until Gabe finally explained it at lunch through fits of laughter. Mia hit him over the head with her potions book and tried to get him to reverse it. He swore he never would as a reminder to never prank him again. Mia finally gave up threatening him into submission and sought out Professor Flitwick to reverse the charm. The squat professor did it happily and then awarded Ravenclaw 10 points for Gabe's impressive charm work. Mia grudgingly vowed to get him back.

One day Hermione finally grew impatient for information and interrupted their History of Magic class by asking Professor Binns about the Chamber. The Ghost of a teacher only answered their questions when he realized there was no chance of getting his class back on track.

He told them all about the original four founders and Salazar Slytherin's dislike of varied student heritage and the supposed secret chamber he hid in the roots of the castle and the beast the chamber was legend to hold. Mia frantically took notes on everything he said. She and Gabe, alongside Hermione, had been combing the library looking for record of the Chamber of Secrets and now Mia couldn't wait to get the info they had learned to Gabe. As soon as the class was dismissed Mia raced off to the Great Hall to tell Gabe all she had learned. Mia took the steps to the entrance hall two at a time and rushed into the great hall behind a few frightened looking Hufflepuffs.

Mia scanned the Ravenclaw table and saw Gabe sitting half way down the table devouring a roast beef sandwich. Gabe was definitely the tallest student in their year, and by the way he was eating it was clear to Mia he was getting ready to go through another growth spurt. Unlike Ron who usually tried to cram as much food into his mouth at once, when Gabe ate, it was like he was a predator, devouring his latest kill. It reminded Mia of how her pack of wolves ate. Uncivilized, yes, but not messy.

Mia sat down heavily in the seat next to Gabe. Two Ravenclaw girls who were sitting across from Gabe just looked at Mia like she was a wasp. A little frightening, and very unwelcome. Mia just rolled her eyes and pulled out her notebook. She had noticed before how some girls tended to eye her up when Gabe went out of his way to talk to her. As if he was their property. As a Gryffindor sitting at the Ravenclaw table. Mia wasn't about to argue, but that didn't mean she would be moving either.

It took Gabe a moment to realize Mia had sat down. When he did he slid an extra sandwich towards her and spoke through his food. "These are great, you gotta try one." Or at least that's what it sounded like to Mia. 

Mia didn't mind. Wolves talked with their mouths full as well. And Gabe was much better at not letting any food fall out mid sentence. Also, Gabe’s food was cooked. It made a big difference. 

Mia just shook her head and picked up the sandwich and took a bite. She knew Gabe got grouchy if he didn't eat and she knew he would be too distracted to eat as soon as she showed him her notes.

As soon as she took a bite of the sandwich, Mia heard a loud humph come from across the table. Mia looked up at the two girls. When she looked at them the pretty Asian one looked down embarrassed but the snobby strawberry blond girl looked right at her daring Mia to say something.

Mia debated taking another bite or throwing the sandwich at the girl when Gabe sensed her temper coming on and stepped in. "Marietta, it's just a sandwich. Go steal one of the Gryffindor table if you are still hungry." Gabe looked down at the carrots the girl had been eating and she blushed and looked away.

Mia decided she didn't really like the tension at the table and would rather deal with grumpy Gabe over catty girls so she held her note book up in front of Gabe's face. "How about we just take the sandwiches to go? I've got something to show you." The words 'Notes on the Chamber of Secrets' were clearly written across the top of the page. Gabe's eyes popped open as he read the first line and he scooped up a few sandwiches and left the great hall with Mia in tow. As soon as they had left the earshot of the other students Mia started explaining everything Professor Binns had told the class. They found a deserted corridor and sat on some steps near the library to finish their lunch, and talked about everything they had learned.

"So the enemies of the heir of Salazar Slytherin. Who do you think they are? Gryffindors?"

Gabe just smiled wide as he bit into a sandwich. "I sure hope so, because that means I'm safe!" Mia nudged him in the shoulder hard and ate more of her lunch. "But I did here Malfoy talking. He says muggle borns will be targeted."

Mia looked up with surprise. "Draco said that?"

"Yeah, I heard him bragging about it in Herbology yesterday." Gabe shook his head and put down his sandwich in disgust. "I don't get all of this blood purist crap. My family line is as old as dirt, but my father's from Nigeria, and out there having muggle borns is usually considered a blessing onto the region. If we all interbred all day long like they do here there wouldn't be any healthy magical bloodlines left!" Gabe stopped talking suddenly and glanced at Mia. "You know, no offense."

Mia looked up at him incredulously. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well." Gabe stammered a bit. "You know, because you're a Black." Mia gave the signal for Gabe to continue, but taking his time Gabe took another big bite of roast beef. "Well, it's just that the Black family is one of those ancient family lines that interbred with their cousins."

Mia looked shocked. She had heard of this before of course but she had never really applied it to her family before. "But my mum was a muggle born. That counts for something, right?"

Gabe started nodding encouragingly. "Oh yeah, if it wasn't for your father being the black sheep of the family, pardon the pun, then you would probably be facing a marriage betrothal to Draco or something."

Mia's look of confusion immediately turned to one of horror as Gabe's words landed on her. "Oh God!" Mia fake wretched a few times at the thought. "For the first time in my life I am actually happy my father became a mass murderer."

Mia looked to Gabe for validation but he just chuckled. "No, being a murderer was nothing new, I'm sure it's the fact that he married your muggle mum that got you off the marriage line in the Malfoy household."

"Bloody hell." Mia crossed her arms over her chest, thinking on the implications. "And now someone's out there threatening to kill off muggle borns."

Gabe shoved the last of his sandwich into his mouth and started gathering his stuff. "Look on the bright side." Mia looked up at Gabe hoping for some good news. "At least we have a Quidditch match on Saturday to take our minds off of things!" Mia huffed and started down the steps towards the library, not the least excited for Quidditch. "Oh come on! It's Gryffindor VS Slytherin! At least we both get to root for the same team! No one in the school wants Slytherin to win!"

"I'm glad, you can do the rooting for both of us then. I think I'm going to spend the day studying in the library." Mia started walking towards the library to get started on her homework when Gabe raced after her.

"What? Are you kidding me? It's Quidditch! You have to go! Besides Harry is playing, don't you wanna at least root for him?"

"Gabe you know I barely understand the game! Even when I'm watching you guys practice, I don't follow it well."

Gabe smugly started strutting next to Mia, heading towards the library. "Then I guess it's for the best that you come with me then. I can explain the whole thing to you. That way when Ravenclaw plays Hufflepuff in a few weeks you will be able to tell how fantastic I do."

An idea started forming in Mia's mind on how to get Gabe back for his prank on her inkwell, and she decided the Quidditch match would be the perfect place to initiate it. "Fine. I will come with you, but we are both rooting for Gryffindor. Deal?"

"Deal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guess as to Mia's prank?


	45. Information

The next week went by quickly. The whole school was ecstatic for the upcoming Quidditch match and the mystery of the Heir was put to the back of most students' minds. Mia on the other hand refused to be distracted by broom sticks and was attempting to follow a lead of her own. Gabe had mentioned that Draco had been spreading loads of rumors about the Chamber of Secrets, and Mia wanted to speak to him directly.

The problem was getting Draco alone. Mia didn't want to just approach him in class or the great hall while he was surrounded by all of his lackeys. Draco was a good person somewhere deep down, but when surrounded by his classmates Mia couldn't stand him.

Her moment to speak to him came about Friday night, the night before the game. Draco had been picking on a first year Hufflepuff earlier in the week and Professor McGonagall caught him in the act and gave him a detention for Friday night. Mia hung around the transfiguration classroom dodging passing teachers notice until just after eight pm when an exhausted Draco opened the door of the classroom and exited into the hallway. Mia hung back in the shadows until they were far enough away to not be over heard. 

"Draco."

The blond boy jumped slightly and fumbled around in his robes clumsily pulling out his wand and turning to see Mia. "Oh, it's just you." He lowered his wand but didn't put it away completely. "What are you doing out stalking me? Wanting to get me back for your fall this summer?"

Mia chuckled and stepped out of the shadows. "If I wanted to get you back for that, you would never see me coming." A hint of fear crossed Draco's eyes but then he settled to a classic smirk. "I just wanted to talk, haven't really seen much of you since term started." 

It was true. Last year Draco had taken almost any opportunity to whisper or make gestures to Mia just to remind everyone where the true loyalties of family stretched. Mia always assumed his actions were equal parts trying to leach off of her 'infamous reputation' and embarrass a rival Gryffindor. But Mia was beginning to think that deep down he wanted to remind Mia that he was her family. In the old stiff pureblood way, it was probably the only way Draco knew how to say 'I'm here for you.’

Draco looked down and shuffled his feet. "Oh, well you know, I figured seeing less of me would probably make it easier for you to make friends this year. I figured it was the least I could do after your fall." Did he really just say that? Did he really just mean that? Mia knew it was the closest to an apology she would ever get.

"I appreciate the thought Draco, but if anyone ever judges me based off my family instead of who I am as a person, then I don't think I really want their friendship." Draco looked up and met Mia's eyes. "Though I won't lie that it was nice not having you pick on me all the time."

Mia broke into a wicked grin and Draco, reassured in her sarcasm brought his smirk back in full force. "So what is a rule abiding Gryffindor like yourself doing out waiting around for a Slytherin trouble maker like me?"

"First of all, no one ever said I was rule abiding, but actually I wanted to talk to you about the Chamber of Secrets."

Draco's eyes rose. "And why do you think I know anything about it?"

"Come on Draco, I have a list of reasons why. Firstly I heard you where saying Muggle Borns would be targeted. How would you know that? No one even knew what the Chamber of Secrets was let alone that the Heir referred to Salazar Slytherin. So how could you know that meant Muggle Borns are the enemy?"

Draco sighed as if he was explaining Potion work to a Hufflepuff. "You mean no one  _ in Gryffindor _ knew what the Chamber was. I'm in Slytherin, remember? We do things a bit differently there. Things like secret legends about our founder and his dislike of Mudblo- Muggle Borns are common knowledge. My father used to tell me bedtime stories about the Chamber when I was a kid."

"But if it's that common knowledge how come I didn't hear about it until Professor Binns explained it to us. It's not like just Gryffindors where in the dark. I have a good friend in Ravenclaw and he was clueless as well. Is it also in your code that Slytherins don't share?"

"Oh, you mean Adewumi? I heard you had been hanging around with him."

Mia was a little shocked by his knowledge. "What is that supposed to mean? You don't approve?"

"Well he's not exactly my type but at least he's a pureblood. So he should be good for you."

Mia hated this sort of talk and started feeling her rage come on. "Ok Draco, let’s change the subject before I hex you. So what did your dad tell you about the Chamber?"

Draco rolled his eyes and made a little winey noise. "Really? What didn't he tell me? He just told me the whole story about Salazar Slytherin distrusting his fellow founders because they didn't see the true gift that magic was and that shouldn't be shared with lesser beings so he made his secret chamber to hold his most prized secrets."

Mia was a little shocked, yes it was basically the same story Binns had shared, but to hear it from the perspective of a proud Slytherin who had been told the story with admiration while growing up, it was an entirely different world. "But what about the beast? What is it?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "You think I know that? Please! I doubt anyone really knows what it is. Only that it's a beast that attacks Muggle borns."

"Your dad knew about it happening this year." It wasn't a question and it wasn't an accusation, Mia just wanted to see Draco's reaction to see if he was really ignorant of it or if he was being less than truthful with Mia.

Draco's blond eyebrows disappeared into his hair line in shock, then they knit together in disbelief. "Yeah right, how would my father know that?"

Mia wondered how much she should give away. Draco had always been open and honest with her when it came to her family, so she should have the same respect for him. "I heard your father say it when I spent the night at your home over the summer. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, I just couldn't sleep, so I was looking for that library you took me to, and I got lost." Draco's expression softened while he listened. "They were arguing about something, about me. Your dad had a book he wanted to give me, and your mum thought it was too dangerous and would get me expelled. He said if I had it, it would keep me safe from the danger that was coming to Hogwarts this year."

"What do you mean? What was the book? My father has loads of dark artifacts." He glanced at Mia. "Feel free never to repeat that. But if he had something that would protect against the beast, why wouldn't he give it to me?" Draco looked slightly betrayed.

"No Draco, it wasn't like that. Your mum was so angry about him wanting to give it to me, that it almost seemed more like a trick. That whoever had it would definitely get caught and punished. Your mum kept referring to it as his 'little game'."

"And you're sure he didn't give it to you?" Draco looked genuinely concerned by this news. "Mia those dark artifacts can be truly dangerous. I've heard of books that can kill you just by you reading the words aloud."

"No, I don't have it. All the books I have I bought from Diagon Alley."

Draco seemed reassured. "So if he knew the chamber would be opened and the beast released, maybe he knows who the heir is." Draco seemed to be thinking hard and a wicked glint appeared in his eyes.

"Yes Draco, and that would be very useful information because we could use it to stop them from hurting anyone." Draco looked up in confusion. "You know because student's dying would be bad.

"But they are just Mud-"

"NO! Don't even say it Draco. People are people. No matter who their parents where. My mother was a muggle born. If she had been killed then I never would have been born. If you treat people like scum then you have no right to be treated any better."

Mia turned and started walking away when Draco stopped her. "Mia wait! I'm sorry. I was raised to believe this; you can't fault me for my family's actions. You said that yourself."

"You're right Draco. I can't fault you for their opinions or for their actions, but you aren't under their roof anymore. You’re here, in this world forming your own opinions on how the world works. This is your chance to choose to think differently or to fall in step with their backward thinking. You are no longer protected by the excuse of ignorance, and I will hold you accountable for that. Look at Hermione. She's Muggle born and the smartest witch in our class. Yes, she thinks you're a prat, but so do I. How would you feel if she died, right now? You know her. She's not just some muggle born. She's your classmate. These are real people. They are no different from you, except they are probably a lot more accepting than you." Mia smiled. "You're my family Draco, and that will never change. But continue spreading this blood purest crap and I will hex you."

Draco nodded, looking like a scolded puppy. "I will see what I can learn from my father." Mia nodded and the two students parted ways. One heading towards the towers and one heading towards the dungeons.

Just before the cousins made it to the opposite sides of their corridors Mia spun around. "Draco!" Draco paused and indicated that he was listening. "Good luck in the game tomorrow! Make sure you lose but just don't fall off your broom!"

Mia could hear Draco snicker from across the hall. Mia had heard he made it onto the team. She wasn't surprised after the brooms she had seen his dad had bought for the team, but tomorrow was his first real game, and as a second year, he was still very young to be on the house team. "Don't worry, I'm gonna kick Potters butt!" And with that, Draco turned the corner and was gone. Mia hoped Draco really considered what she had said. She didn't have much family and she really wanted to preserve what little she had left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone against some slight Draco character shifts? Nothing out of the realm of what he was able, but I for one think things would have gone a little different if he'd had some positive influences.


	46. Quidditch and Pranks

The next morning Mia ate her breakfast surrounded by rowdy students. Everyone was ecstatic for the game between Gryffindor and Slytherin. They were generally known as the teams to beat so it was well thought that this game would set the pace for the rest of the season. Or so Mia was told, by an overly elated Gabe who kept sloshing his pumpkin juice all over the table while he explained the statistical probabilities of either team winning based on their players’ previous histories and current standings. Mia just ate her bacon keeping her head down as Ron ate up every word he spoke while he crammed his face with food, and urged Harry that it would be a piece of cake through mouth full's of actual pancake.

As Mia was pelted with bits of chewed food from Ron and tiny splashes of pumpkin juice from Gabe, she curved her temper and tried to focus on the fact that today she would be getting her payback for the ink trick. She looked up to see Fred and George strut over to the table in their beater’s gear, and they winked at her as Gabe made another gusto gesture. Mia just smiled wickedly in response.

Everyone in the school was decked out in their best house colors to support the teams. A few passionate Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were also sporting some Gryffindor colors as the houses often supported each other against a mutual enemy. Mia was decked out in her best robes wearing one of her red sweaters with a soft gold skirt that her aunt had bought her over the summer. She had even replaced her blue ribbons with gold and red tinsel.

Gabe had promised to be rooting for Gryffindor of course, but he was still proudly sporting his Ravenclaw colors, but Mia had a solution for that. She had a bright Gryffindor scarf in her bag that she had brought just for him. The charm on it was tricky, and since she wasn't overly advanced in charms work, she had sought out the Weasley twins for help with it. They had thought the idea was brilliant and asked if they could borrow it sometime. The potion on it was all Mia's doing. She had gotten the idea for a skin changing potion from one of her books, and turning it to powder form and covering the scarf with it had been easy, but the charm to make it so the potion only went into effect when the scarf was tied in a knot around someone's neck had been all George. Fred added the time restraints to make the color fade after a few hours.

As the time drew closer for the game to start the students made their way out to the stadium. Gabe joined Mia in the Gryffindor box with Ron and Hermione. Mia was just trying to figure out how to give the scarf to Gabe when Hermione gave her the perfect opening. "You know Gabe, you do look rather like an outcast in our box with us."

Ron unknowingly helped out too. "Yeah, couldn't you have eased off the blue even a little?" This was a good point as Gabe's sweater was a bright and vivid royal blue as he stood surrounded in a sea of scarlet and gold.

"Oh! I have something to help with that!" Mia acted as if she had only just remembered as she pulled the scarf out of her bag.

"Mia! That will look horrible with my sweater!" Gabe clutched defensively at his blue knit.

"Well, then why don't you just take it off? Come on, don't be such a girl. You promised to root for Gryffindor anyways, and it's not that cold out here!"

Gabe sighed and slipped off his robes, then pulled his sweater off over his head, His shirt underneath was a dark brown. Mia thought that would go nicely with his red and gold. She hid her evil grin as he tossed his sweater at her to put in her bag. He put his robes back on and stood with his arms out to the side. "Happy?"

Mia nodded and wrapped the scarf around his neck, then stood back for Hermione and Ron to nod in approval. Then when Gabe had settled himself with the scarf, Mia reached up to adjust it. "Here, I think it will look better like this." And with that, she tied the two ends into a knot and there was a slight gold glimmer that fell off of the scarf, and then nothing.

"Do I look perfect yet?" Gabe asked jokingly but Mia just looked confused. The potion should have taken immediate effect, and the gold glimmer could have easily just been the sun reflecting off the gold material.

Mia was just about to readjust it when she noticed a pure red color creeping up Gabe's neck. As soon as the red appeared over the scarf it spread up his face like wild fire until it reached his hair line and his fuzzy hair changed in an explosion of color to pure gold.

He looked fantastic, or at least Mia thought so. His usually dark skin was now a bright vibrant scarlet, and his hair was almost metallic gold. Even his eyebrows where gold. Apparently the color change didn't have any physical sensation involved because as a huge grin broke out on Mia's face, Gabe didn't seem to know anything was wrong. "You look fantastic. Truly stupendous."

Gabe shrugged a little, slightly confused. "I guess I need to wear red and gold more often."

"Please do." Mia's response was drowned out by the sudden and abrupt laughter coming from Ron. Quickly the whole box was filled with laughter as the students noticed Gabe. Mia quickly lost it as she looked at him, but it was very clear that Gabe had no idea what was so funny. He looked down at himself to see if something was on him and he caught sight of his hand. Holding the red hand in front of his face the look of shock with his golden eyebrows was too much and launched Mia into another overwhelming fit of giggles.

Gabe looked to Mia with a murderous glare, but much to her relief it was at that moment that Madam Hooch came out onto the field and Lee Jordan began his commendation to start the game. Gabe's love for the game quickly beat out all else and his focus drew straight to the game.

Mia on the other hand was less than interested in the game, and after watching Harry and Draco for a little while, found herself distracted by the sun reflecting off of Gabe's hair and would become mesmerized just staring at it. He caught her a few times, and he would just stare strangely at her for a moment until he remembered his new skin color then he would glare and return his attention to the game.

At one point Mia was examining Gabe's arm hair, she was extremely bored with the game and was trying to solve why the potion would change his hair and eyebrows and yet his arm hair was its normal black. She was in the middle of working out the ingredients used that have any determination on localizing a potion when there where several loud "OOOOHHH's" from the crowd around her. Mia looked up and saw Harry nearly dodge a bludger. This was nothing new. Bludgers tried to kill you, it's what they did. But what in a potion would leave arm hair untouched? Suddenly the bludger made a turn in mid air and whizzed straight at Harry again.

The crowd was responding appropriately as he made another near dodge and the Weasley twins came to his rescue. This bludger was clearly acting strangely as it came at him over and over again, only to be beat back by one of the Weasley's and then it would come straight back.

Bludgers usually acted erratically, striking at random. Yes, their behavior was usually a little vindictive, but this was clearly a curse. They quickly formed a clear plan of one Weasley on either side of Harry beating off the bludger while they flew. Gabe quickly pointed out that this wouldn't work, because Harry couldn't catch the snitch and they would lose. Mia didn't think the snitch was as important as not being bludgeoned to death, but apparently Harry didn't agree as he shook off Fred and George and started flying around fast, outracing the bludger and looking for the snitch.

Draco caught up to Harry and seemed to be shouting sportsmanly insults at him when the bludger came at Harry and slammed into his side. Harry was almost knocked off of his broom but he managed to stay seated. His arm was dangling sickly at his side, and Mia tried not to look as he zoomed off down towards Draco. Mia saw the little bit of fleck right by Draco's head and couldn't believe he didn't see it! Harry made one last dive for the snitch and caught it with his good hand, holding onto the broom with his legs he headed straight for the ground, landing way too hard.

Mia rushed down to the field with her fellow Gryffindors and Gabe. They arrived just in time to see Professor Lockhart taking charge of the situation. He offered to heal Harry's arm, and ignoring his cries of protest performed the spell. 

The bottom of Mia's stomach fell out and she buried her face in Gabe's robes trying not to throw up. His arm looked like one limp noodle. A nosy first year with a camera started snapping off pictures much to Harry's distress and Mia took away his camera. "You can get it back when you promise not to harass injured students anymore!"

She ignored his cries of protest, much like Professor Lockhart had done to Harry when he  _ healed _ his arm, and she walked up to the hospital wing after Harry. The whole Gryffindor team was there crowded around Harry's bed. When Mia and Gabe approached Fred and George smiled wickedly at Gabe.

"So nice of you to show your support mate!"

"Yeah, who knew your love for Gryffindor was so strong!" Gabe just scowled at the two boys as they were all forced out of the room by Madam Pomfrey's mother hen clucking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think of Mia's prank? Do we love Gabe yet?


	47. Anger

Usually, most of the students would return to their common rooms to chat or celebrate after a game, but Mia wanted to hang out with Gabe, and that meant finding a mutual place like the library to hang out. As they were leaving the hospital wing the kid who was now cameraless was waiting on the stairs. When he saw Mia he jumped to his feet. "Hey! Can I have my camera back now? I promise not to take pictures of sick people anymore!"

Mia sighed and pulled the camera out of her bag. "Here, but remember only to take willing people’s pictures!" The little boy took the camera and smiled. Mia looked at Gabe when there was a sudden flash and the boy took a picture of them and ran off with his camera. 

"Punk."

Gabe laughed as they headed down to the library. When he reached up to hold onto a rail of a moving staircase, he was reminded of his skin color and huffed. "Remind me again why you did this to me?"

"What? Me?" Mia adopted an innocent look on her face, and Gabe shoved her to the side. "That was just payback for making my ink disappear. See? I can play with pigment to."

Gabe let out a long sigh. "Just tell me it isn't permanent." He had taken off the scarf almost instantly and thrown it at Mia, but the color of his skin was still just as bright.

"Don't worry; it will fade in a few hours." Mia smiled to herself at her genius. "I'm just glad the gold turned out so well! I wanted the color to really pop so I made sure to add plenty of walkeni paste."

Gabe stopped dead in his tracks and fixed Mia with a stern look. "What gold?"

Mia broke into a wide happy grin and reached up and ran her hand over Gabe's thick golden curly hair. You haven't looked in a mirror yet, have you?" Their eyes connected and realization hit Gabe.

Mia let her hand fall to her side and in a flash, Gabe took off running towards the nearest bathroom a floor below them. Mia laughed to herself as she followed after him and waited outside. After a few minutes, Gabe exited the bathroom looking weak and surrendered to his fate.

"My eyebrows are gold." His voice was sad and pathetic.

Mia smiled deeply. "They look fantastic!"

"My eyebrows are gold." This time he said it more accusingly.

"I love them." Mia smiled warmer and took Gabe's arm and led him the rest of the way to the library. Gabe collapsed into a chair at their normal table. The library was empty except for a few Ravenclaw diehards and some Hufflepuffs working on homework. Mia pulled out a book and started quizzing Gabe on antidote potions. Gabe wasn't really paying attention as he studied his golden fingernails and red hands. Mia had thought the nails were a nice touch.

Just then a loud gasp came from behind Mia and the reddish blond haired Ravenclaw girl came into sight with the pretty Asian in tow. "Oh, Gabriel! What happened to you!"

Gabe rolled his eyes and sat up straight in his chair. "I went to a Quidditch game. People usually dress up for those, you know?"

The girl looked horrified by this answer. "But why would you dress up in  _ those _ colors?"

Mia stifled a laugh and Gabe just glared at her. "Well, I didn't really have that much of a choice."

The girl let out a shriek of surprise and turned to Mia. "You did this?" She said it like Mia had killed someone; witch was ironic because right then Mia kind of wanted to kill her. "Why would you do that to poor Gabriel?"

Mia smiled sweetly and looked straight at Gabe. "I think he looks fantastic!"

The girl rounded on Mia. "Oh, you would think that you horrid monster!" Mia choked in surprise. That was the last thing she expected to be called because of a prank.

Gabe seemed to be in just as much shock and was speechless. It was the other girl who came to Mia's defense. "Marietta, it was just a prank. I'm sure Amelia didn't hurt him in any way." The second girl looked to Gabe for confirmation as she held her friend’s shoulder.

"Cho is right Marietta, Mia and I have a running prank war, she was just getting me back for something I did to her." They were talking to this girl like they were talking her down from a ledge.

Why where Gabe and this Cho walking on eggshells for her? She had been pointlessly rude to Mia on more than one occasion. "Thought, either way, it's not like its any of your business." Mia looked Marietta strait in the face, her anger rising. Gabe just put his red hand over his face.

Marietta turned on Mia. "None of my business? More like it's none of your business, you little Murderous Heir! Why don't you go and infect someone else with your evil and leave poor Gabriel alone!" Mia had heard the name before, but no one had ever been so bold as to say it so blatantly to her face.

Mia stood up on her feet with her wand clutched tightly in her hand. Her eyes flashed dangerously ice blue. It was all she could do not to hex the girl. "Who the bloody hell do you think you are?"

"I'm a Ravenclaw thank you very much, and a pure blood. My family are respectable members of the ministry. And who are you? Some orphaned scum of Azkaban, who follows Gabe around like some lovesick scrap of a witch?"

Mia was frozen with rage. It would be so easy to hex this girl to an inch of her life. Mia was never very good at that sort of magic, but she was so angry, she could feel her anger begging the magic to come out. Mia glanced at Gabe who sat still in his chair, not moving an inch or coming to her defense, just looking with shock at the train wreck before him. This made something break inside of Mia, the anger rushed out of her in a shimmery wave and she grabbed her bag and disappeared out of the library. She didn't stop until she was alone in her dorm.

Mia was tired and a little stressed. She sat on her bed looking through her father’s picture book. She looked down at a picture of him and who she believed to be Harry's dad. They were both about the age of 15 and decked out in Quidditch gear, flexing their muscles and showing off for the camera. They were acting just the way that two 15 year old boys should be acting. Would Mia ever really be free to act like this? Free to just be herself? Or would she always be hated and despised by those around her?

Just then Lavender and Parvatti came in the dorm laughing and stopped dead when they saw her sitting on the bed. Mia couldn't take it anymore. She clapped the picture book shut and jumped off of her bed. She pushed past the girls out of the dorm. Mia paced through the common room avoiding the eyes of the few celebrators who noticed her leaving just before curfew.

Mia knew one place she would always be free. She snuck through the castle, using a more deserted rout and dodging the corridors that usually held teachers. She had a close call on the second floor where she could hear Professor Flitwick speaking to a student as they walked through the corridor. As they passed her hiding place behind a statue she buried her face in her robes so that her dark hair would help camouflage her. Once the hallway was quiet, Mia slipped away, and out the entrance hall, on to the grounds and into the Forbidden Forest to play with her Pack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday! Did you enjoy the chapter? Did it make you smile? Comment and let me know what you think. Comments give me live and joy :] 
> 
> How is everyone surviving? As an introvert, quarantine life isn't hard for me, but I know that isn't true for everyone. My biggest struggles are fear, and not letting the media push me towards anxiety. We are all so isolated we can't help but believe what we hear and see online, and let it fester inside of us. We all need to be safe, and we need to be smart, but fear and anxiety only lower the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies. Laughter can help keep you strong, and it is totally ok to be happy and find joy in times like this. Remember that and see if you can make someone laugh today. 
> 
> I saw this beautiful field of poppies two days ago, and a man started painting a sign in front of it, the next day when I went by, he was just finishing the sign. It read HOPE, right along the road in front of a huge beautiful field of poppies. It's things like this that bring me so much joy and remind me of the impact one person can make. Heres a pic of the sign if you want to see it: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-SjHsqgpND/
> 
> Anyways, I hope your day is wonderful, and that all of you find some laughter today. Love you all <3


	48. Into The Woods

Gabe had been furious with the way his housemates had treated Mia, but he didn't know how to make it stop. He had been stupid. Mia was quickly becoming one of his best friends at Hogwarts, and he always defended her. People use to make comments all the time that he shouldn't hang with her when the term had first begun, but Gabe would tell them to shut up and not be so ignorant and it quickly stopped. Why had he just sat there this time? She had run off before he had a chance to beat in the heads of the moronic students or apologize for their actions. But why didn't he stand up sooner and tell Marietta to back off?

Cho was a great person, but Marietta was such a fickle girl Gabe didn't know why they hung out together. They were a year ahead of Gabe, but he still knew them well, although he didn't make it a point to hang out with them. Gabe shook his head. Girls where confusing. They played mind games with each other, and Gabe didn't understand why Marietta would be that mean. Mia didn't play games like that. If she was mad about something Gabe could see it on her face. Being friends with her was easy. Knowing he could always apologize tomorrow Gabe had stayed in the library studying Mia's potions book until just before Curfew when he left to head back to his dorm.

Gabe really didn't need to read the same page eight times, but he really didn't want to go to his common room while his housemates were still up. He was still so mad at Marietta for how she treated Mia, and no doubt she was now spreading vicious lies. When Mia had left, Gabe had stood up and told the girls to just leave. This had made the crazy girl turn on him saying that she understood Gabe being nice to the Heir of the Murderer so that he could 'get some', but that Gabe shouldn't betray his own kind just for an ugly girl, especially when there were plenty of great witches in his own class. Gabe had been so angry he was petrified with rage and as he fisted his wand, trying to think of his worst hex, Madam Prince had thrown the girl out, and Gabe had buried himself into the book.

Thankfully the color had faded completely from his skin while he was in the library. That had been a wicked prank. Gabe couldn't believe the genius behind it. Yes, he didn't like the prank being on him, but he was so proud of Mia's skill he didn't really mind it. Of course, he would never tell her that. Gabe sighed to himself as curfew approached. He grabbed Mia's book and headed out of the library and up to his tower.

It made him so angry that people would count someone as sweet as Mia in the same line as her father, and it also embarrassed him that Marietta had said he was into her. Their friendship wasn't like that. Mia was just a friend. Yeah, she was really pretty, and super smart, and really funny, and sure she made his stomach all gurgly and uncomfortable when she made that face where she wrinkled up her nose in frustration.

Gabe stopped dead in his tracks and shook his head trying to clear his thoughts. They where just friends. And Gabe really loved having her friendship. The end. Gabe continued walking down the corridor just as Professor Flitwick came out of his classroom.

"Oh Mr. Adewumi, what are you doing out after curfew?" The squat little wizard looked surprised to see one of his favorite students out and about breaking the rules.

Gabe looked down at his watch. "Actually Sir, we still have fifteen minutes and I just came from the library. I was finishing up my essay for your class." The professor seemed to brighten with the reveal of the time and offered to walk Gabe up to the tower as he launched into a lecture on the properties of charms versed enchantments.

As they walked along the darkening corridors Gabe only half paid attention to the professor's rant. They turned a corner and Gabe noticed a flourish of black school robes disappear behind a statue halfway down the corridor. Gabe smiled to himself as he realized the Professor hadn't seen this. He could wait until they passed and see who it was, it wasn't quite after curfew so Professor Flitwick wouldn't get them into trouble, but people who sneak always had secrets. And although Gabe wasn't the kind of guy to spread secrets, he did absolutely love finding them out.

They were almost even with the statue. Gabe casually peered into the alcove behind the statue and he saw a slight movement, black robes with Gryffindor stitching along the collar and Red and Gold tinsel tied in a bow around black braided hair. Gabe was at a loss for words, he knew that tinsel anywhere. He had been admiring it all afternoon as he thought how good the color looked with her hair. Why he was thinking about that while a Quidditch game was going on he wasn't sure, but he knew it was Mia. Why was she sneaking around and hiding behind statues? Maybe she had wanted to speak to him and then realized he was with a teacher and hid.

He stopped and started rifling through his book bag. This Professor Flitwick actually noticed and stopped as well. "My dear boy, what seems to be the problem?"

"Oh Professor, I just realized I left my essay closed inside one of the library books." Gabe looked at his watch. "I have just enough time if I run I can retrieve it and be back to the common room before curfew." Gabe looked down pleadingly at the small professor.

Professor Flitwick just smiled. "Alright, but make sure you run. A young Quidditch champ like yourself should be fine." Gabe thanked the Professor and doubled back down the corridor at a jog. He turned back down the way they had come and headed to the statue. The space behind it was empty. Maybe Mia hadn't been waiting for him.

Gabe's curiosity had gotten the best of him and he quickly cast a silencing charm on his feet and jogged down the rest of the corridor as silently as possible. When he reached the end and turned the corner, he saw the back of Mia's robes as she turned the next corner.

Gabe thought maybe she was trying to sneak back into the library or something, so he decided to follow her at a distance before he could sneak up on her and scare her or something. When they reached the entrance hall, Gabe knew Mia wasn't heading to the Library and his curiosity tripled. Mia slipped outside and Gabe slowly crept to the door, trying to stay in the shadows and peered out. Mia was running along the grounds, keeping to the long shadows of the falling twilight heading to the forest. Didn't she know that was dangerous? Not only was this The  _ Forbidden _ Forest but she was also alone, and it was almost completely dark out. Gabe waited for her to clear the grounds before he took off at a run following her path. He made it to the edge of the woods and stopped, leaning against a tree as he panted. Once he had caught his breath he straitened up and peered around.

It was almost fully dark now. Gabe couldn't believe it was Mia who was sneaking into the forest, but as she had run across the grounds he had seen her more clearly and he knew it was her. Gabe called out a crisp  _ Lumos _ and lifted his wand high. What was she doing in here? Gabe really didn't want to go tromping through an enchanted forest, but Mia wasn't very good at defensive spells and she may be in trouble. Just because he wasn't a Gryffindor didn't mean that Gabe wasn't a brave person, it just meant he liked to be more logical about doing stupid and dangerous stuff! There wasn't anything wrong with that!

Gabe looked back once more towards the open grounds of Hogwarts and stepped out, deeper into the forest. He only walked about twenty feet before he realized what a bad idea this was. The forest was dark and dense. Even darker than a night without the soft starlight, and he could tell it only got darker the deeper in he went. 

No longer caring about getting caught by a teacher, and just wanting to find Mia, Gabe called out for her. "Mia! Are you in here?" Silence. "Mia! Where the bloody hell are you?" Now he heard heavy rustling in the leaves far off. 

Ok so maybe yelling in the mystical woods had been a bad idea. Gabe took a step back wondering if he should run. Then a long wolf cry broke through the night air and the rustling became the obvious sound of several large animals running towards him. Wolves. How could he have been so stupid to forget about the wolves?

Mia talked about them sometimes. She said that was the reason she came out to the Quidditch pitch with him during practice. Gabe kinda liked to pretend she just wanted to watch him play, but really she said she loved listening to the wolves. Gabe had suspected for a while that maybe Mia's fascination with wolves and other animals was the real reason she had been looking up information on Animagus. He figured she probably had fallen for the idea of becoming one, but he hoped she wasn't stupid enough to try. Maybe that was why she was out here, to collect some fur from a wolf or something that she needed for the potion she had mentioned. Maybe she was on good terms with the wolves, and they were her friends.

Just then another howl was let out and suddenly five large real live wolves broke out of the darkness and surrounded him like a rabbit. Scratch that. Mia definitely wasn't friends with man eating wolves, and now he was about to die! 

The biggest of the wolves, gray with black across its legs stepped forward growling. Gabe knew this wolf was the last thing he would ever see, and there was so much he hadn't done yet! So many spells he hadn't learned. 

Spells! Yes! He was a wizard! He could fight the wolf, but was that really fare? He had invaded into the wolf's territory after all. 

"Now listen here wolfy, I really don't want to hurt you." Gabe took a step backward with his wand raised in front of him between himself and the gray wolf. He took another step back and another deep growl made Gabe jump. A large brown wolf had taken up position behind him, keeping him centered.

The first wolf let out another loud growl gaining Gabe's full attention back on him, and the large wolf took another forceful step towards the boy, teeth bared. Gabe knew this was it. Hex the wolf, or die. He could just cast a body bind on them, it wouldn't hurt them, but if no one took it off later they would starve and die. He couldn't do that. He started looking for an escape route and the wolves, noticing his skittish look moved in closer, the leader let out a piercing howl and the pack picked up the tune, Gabe knew this was it and with a now or never reluctance he raised his wand.

A strong and forceful roar rang out through the air and Gabe looked up startled, as a large white creature jumped down from the branches of a nearby tree and stalked up to the stunned wizard. Gabe looked on in shock as the demeanor of the wolves suddenly changed. No longer the ferocious beasts, they ran around pawing at each other and wrestling each other on the ground. The beautiful white bangle tiger, for that, was clearly what it was, walked up to the lead gray wolf and nuzzled its head against him, in response the wolf pawed at the large cat and the cat playfully snapped at the wolves ears. They went back and forth for a moment as though laughing with each other at some funny joke.

After a moment the tiger turned to Gabe, and all of the wolves turned to attention. The lead wolf pranced up to the boy with his tongue hanging out, acting as nothing more than a glorified dog. Gabe held out his hand and the wolf sniffed it followed with a lick. Then the tiger glided over and stood before the boy. It looked up at him with piercing blue eyes, the most beautiful eyes Gabe had ever seen. He felt so warm like he was surrounded by a mysterious blanket when he looked into the tiger’s eyes.

Gabe reached out his hand again and to his surprise, the tiger raised its head and pushed it against the boy's hand. Gabe looked down at the beautiful creature. It was very lean and graceful when it moved. It had thick pure white fur with deep black stripes running down its body, and its fur was the softest thing Gabe had ever felt. He ran his hand back along the tigers head. The fur was so soft he never wanted to let go. He sunk his fingers into the soft fur feeling how thick it was and scratched behind the tiger's ear, giving it a proper head massage like he would one of his family's pet cats. He felt a deep vibration beneath his hand and realized the tiger was letting out a low purr. The tiger pushed against him, rubbing against his legs with enough force to push him over if he wasn't standing firm. Then with a quick flick of the tail, it bounded away with quick graceful movements, and all of the wolves quickly chased after with barks and howls of glee.

Gabe stood in the middle of the trees, at a loss for words. He started walking back towards the castle, his original purpose lost to him. He didn't know what had happened. The wolves had dropped their aggression like a mask when the tiger had appeared, and that had surely been a magical animal. What tiger ran with wolves? And what tiger purred? Gabe had always loved cats of all kinds. His family had several and even a half Kneazle. He had always been a fan of larger felines and he knew that the only large sized cats that purred where lions. Tigers didn't purr. This one definitely wasn't a normal tiger.

Gabe tripped over a root hiding in the leaves and caught himself before he fell. It definitely wasn't a normal tiger. Could it have been an Animagus? Was that Mia? Then he remembered, it had the same eyes, bright blue, and piercing.

No, that tiger wasn't Mia. Gabe kept walking back to the castle holding his wand light higher and paying closer attention to his footing. Mia was smart, but there was no way a second year was an Animagus.

As Gabe climbed into bed, ignoring his dorm mates questions about where he had been. He couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the questions racing through his head. Where did Mia go? Was that tiger really her? Why else did the wolves listen to the tiger, and seem to be on such friendly terms with it? And lastly, as Gabe drifted to sleep, the last question he asked himself was how hard could it really be to become an Animagus, and how much fun of a challenge it would be. And if there was anything Gabe loved, it was always a challenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Gabe, those are some dangerous thoughts.


	49. No Alibi

Mia lounged in the dead leaves on the floor of the clearing that the wolves used as a den. Pounce was lying on Mia's back using one of her white ears as a chew toy. Mia reached up and swiped at his head, cuffing him on the snout. "Stop that. It hurts."

Pounce snapped playfully at her paw and slid off of her, curling up next to her. "Sorry Witch Pup. But it's no fair, why couldn't I come to scare away the wizard? I never get to come."

"Because you're still too young. Now hush up and pretend to be asleep or Riveruner will make you go sleep with the other pups." Pounce squeaked out a small yip of fear and buried his head in Mia's fur pretending to sleep. Mia let out a yawn and laid her head on her paws. She really needed to get back into the castle, but she just didn't want to be near people right now. Wolves were easier to deal with. Besides her doormats already knew she was out and by now they were all asleep. Sneaking in late was sneaking in late. They would either rat her out or not, what did it matter if she stayed out another hour or so.

But Gabe had followed her out. Had he seen her change? No, he had been much farther behind her. The wolves had a standard practice when wizards came into the forest. They would scare them into leaving, never harm them, and just have a little fun. The only exception Mia found was Hagrid and some scary wizard who shot stinging hexes and picked plants. Mia knew this must have been Professor Snape. But whenever students came out, and according to Fleetfoot the most common where a pair of red headed boys, the wolves usually just chased them away.

Tonight had been different. When Mia had met up with the wolves they heard Gabe calling out for Mia. She didn't want him to see her since it would be awfully suspicious to see a white tiger in the forest. She had told the wolves he was a friend and they should have a little fun with him. Don't scare him too much, but just make him not want to come back into the forest again. Then Mia had hidden up in the tree and watched, laughing to herself.

The wolves had their fun, and as Gabe started to get a little pinned in and overly frightened Mia told them to calm down and let him go. She didn't want the wolves to get hexed. But Fleetfoot thought it would be even more fun to pounce on him and lick his face before running off. Right before he did this the pack let out a group howl and Gabe rose up his wand clearly about to hex the pack. Mia knew this would end badly so she let out a roar and told the pack the game was over, jumping down from the tree. Mia loved the look of shock on Gabe's face when he saw her. She was a very pretty tiger and she wanted to show off her shape, even though she knew she could never really tell him.

When Gabe had scratched behind her ears, she had let out a purr. Mia didn't even know she could purr, but the scratch had felt so good, it was almost instinctual to respond that way. That wasn't weird, was it? People pet cats all the time, it didn't matter if she was really a human, as far as Gabe thought, she was just a tiger, in the forest. But Gabe knew she had been out there, and he knew she had read info on being an Animagus. How much did he know?

Mia yawned and stretched out. She stood up on all fours and gave a cat smile as she looked down at Pounce, fast asleep. She bent down and picked him up by the scruff of his neck in her teeth. She carried him over to the other pups and set him down where he would stay warm. Mia said goodbye to the other wolves and slipped out of the forest. She had snuck out many times at night during the summer, but when the castle was full, Mia tried to behave a bit better. She knew the castle was asleep except for the few teachers who would be on patrol.

Mia knew she would have a much better chance making it up to the Gryffindor tower if she had the ears and eyes and stealth of her tiger form, so she made the decision to stay in her form until she got to the corridor before the portrait. This way, even if she was seen, the worst that would happen if a teacher saw her is her escaping back to the forest and staying until morning, and the school just thinking a crazed animal was about. No one would suspect a student became an Animagus.

Luckily Mia didn't have to see if her theory's of worst case scenario's where correct or not, she stuck to the more deserted corridors and to her surprise, the whole castle seemed deserted. She didn't encounter anyone on patrol, and she made it safely to the corridor near her common room. The castle was strangely quiet. She made sure to change back to human form out of sight of the fat lady, and then walked up to the portrait.

After arguing with the painting, that she wasn't in fact up to no good and just wanted to go to bed, she finally crawled into the common room and carried herself upstairs to her dorm. All of her dorm mates were asleep as Mia changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed, hoping that the next day would be better. It was her first time changing fully to tiger and back, and Mia was a little sad the event hadn’t been on happier terms. 

The next morning Mia got up a little later than usual, which meant having to share a mirror with Lavender. Mia sighed to herself as she braided her hair back simply and quickly. So far this wasn't the start to the day she had hoped for.

"So where were you last night little Miss Black? Out killing poor and defenseless first years?" Lavender screwed up her face as she applied paint to her eyelashes and Mia made a silent prayer hoping her face would get stuck that way.

"Oh trust me Lav, if I decide to go on a killing spree, I'm sure you will be the first to know." Lavender jerked at Mia's words and smeared her eye paint. Mia smiled joyfully as she left the bathroom. She walked down to the common room, and headed out to breakfast when Hermione came up the staircase towards her looking frantic.

"Mia, you need to tell me where you were last night." Hermione was whispering in her ear making sure no one was around.

"It's not that big of a deal, I was just trying to avoid Lavender, she was driving me crazy so I just hung out in a deserted classroom on the sixth floor until I knew everyone was asleep. I've done it before. Ouch! Why are you gripping my arm so tight? What happened?"

Hermione had pulled Mia over to an alcove at the bottom of one of the moving staircases. "There was another attack last night." Mia's eyes went large. "I just came from the great hall, and one of the teachers let it slip. The whole school will be talking about it by lunch! If anyone finds out you were out, they will blame you for sure."

Mia looked up at Hermione with a pleading look. "It wasn't me, I swear. You know I would never hurt anyone! Especially an animal like Mrs. Norris."

Hermione waved her hand trying to wipe away Mia's words. "No Mia you don't understand. It wasn't another animal attack. This time it was a student. Mia, it was Colin Creevey." Hermione could tell the name didn't register with Mia. "You know, that little first year you were yelling at yesterday for taking pictures."

Mia couldn't believe it. "Was he…"

Hermione looked scared. "A muggle born? Yes. He was."

"Hermione, you know it wasn't me, I would never do that! Though, Lavender will be spreading around that it was me for sure since I came in late. What should I do?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "Well, the cards are definitely stacked against you for sure. Your family is a very old line with a rather public history of violence…"

"Hermione! You don't think I did it, do you?"

Hermione bit her bottom lip as if thinking. "No, I know it wasn't you. But that doesn't mean the school won't think so. Once Lavender hears of the attack I'm sure she will be too scared of you to say anything to a teacher, she will think you would just retaliate and kill her. But she will definitely tell the rest of the class, so you may go back to being hated for a while."

Mia sighed, Hermione talked about her fate so matter of fact, but truthfully she was fine if people hated or feared her, she was used to that. "As long as I don't get expelled I will be fine." The two girls made their way down to the great hall, and the whole room was alive with whispers. Luckily Lavender hadn't come down yet to add to them, so Mia ate her breakfast early and headed out to her first class in Herbology. She would be early, but the fresh air would be better than a rumor mill. Mia also noted that Gabe hadn't come down to breakfast yet. She wondered when she did see him if he would comment on her midnight wanderings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooo, could Mia be the heir of Slytherin?
> 
> Hope everyone is having an amazing Tuesday <3


	50. Telling Truths

Herbology was reasonably uneventful. Mia got a ton of glares and people were back to whispering about her with fear in their eyes. At the beginning of term she had been randomly paired with Dean Thomas and two Hufflepuffs who now seemed to have heard the new rumors. Hanna Abbot had already known Mia and was scared to death of her. Now she wouldn't even look at Mia. The other girl, a brunette named Kadi was a half blood and had felt the need to tell this to Mia the moment they sat down, in a frantic voice. Dean just seemed oblivious to the whole thing. After Herbology Mia decided to skip lunch and go straight to Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall wouldn't be there yet, so Mia would have a chance to start her Herbology essay. Mia was in the middle of explaining the chemical properties of dittany when Professor McGonagall entered her classroom. "Miss Black, were you planning on eating at all today?"

Mia smiled to herself. Her head of house always tried to watch out for her, even if she tried not to be noticed in doing it. "No Professor, I believe I have lost my appetite this morning."

"That's understandable. I myself often find it difficult to eat when the whole school is looking at me." Mia looked up at the professor and caught her eye. She wondered to herself just how much the teacher knew. "What are they saying now?"

Mia knew the old witch was aware of Mia's less than friendly relationship with her school mates, but Mia also knew that McGonagall's usual approach to opposition was to let the person sort it out for themselves. Mia looked down at her parchment as she answered. "They think I opened the Chamber of Secrets."

Mia heard a book slam onto the Professor's desk and looked up. Professor McGonagall had a look of pure shock on her face. "Of all the foolish things! Why on earth would anyone suspect you?"

Mia laughed. "Really, Professor, It's ok. They need someone to blame and I'm already the Murderer Heir so it's just convenient for them to put all of their fear and hatred in one place."

Professor McGonagall looked at Mia with a strange look. "You know you are a wise girl for your age."

Mia smiled sadly. "I'm not as smart as I sound. I know why they hate me, but that doesn't mean I know how to deal with this."

"Miss Black, you are more of a Gryffindor than you even know. Courage isn't about having all the answers; it's about facing our challenges especially when we don't know how." The classroom door opened and a few Ravenclaw students walked in and found their seats. Professor McGonagall nodded reassuringly at Mia and smiled thinly as the rest of the class filed in.

There were still a few minutes before class started and there were still a few students who hadn't yet arrived. Gabe was one of them. Mia hadn't seen Gabe since the forbidden forest when she was a tiger and he had followed her in. More than being frustrated about the rest of the school hating her, Mia was worried about Gabe and what he knew. Had he been avoiding her? Did he know she had been lying to him? Had he figured out she was an animagus and now he was angry at her for not confiding in him? Mia looked around, everyone was in class except for Gabe.

He was avoiding her. And now he was going to ditch class.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward and began her lecture. Today we will be working on…" The door opened and Gabe slipped in. "You are late Mr. Adewumi."

Gabe slipped into the seat next to Mia. "Sorry, Professor." McGonagall continued her lecture and Gabe leaned into Mia and whispered to her. "Where have you been? I have been looking all over the place for you!"

Mia leaned back into her chair and tried to focus on Professor McGonagall. She would catch them if they talked. Gabe could wait till the practical part of class to begin. Mia was glad to see Gabe wasn't avoiding her, she had just been avoiding everyone so it made sense he couldn't find her. 

She was used to everyone in the school hating her. That she could handle. But she didn't know how to have a friend who wouldn't turn his back on her for anything. This would take some getting used to.

When the class was released to practice transfiguring objects into animals Gabe tried to start their conversation but Mia was distracted by the lesson. "You don't think they are real animals do you? I mean you can't create something living." Mia leaned forward with her elbows on the desk looking at the rat that used to be a snuff box sitting on the Professor's table. "You can't just transfigure a snuff box and have it become a real life person with a thinking mind." Mia hesitated, "Can you?"

Mia looked at Gabe with a gleam of curiosity in her eyes. He had seen that look before every time Mia found a problem in a text book that she needed to solve. She couldn't be distracted until it was solved. Gabe sighed to himself. "Let's find out." Gabe pointed his wand at the snuff box in front of him and spoke the incantation. The box transformed in a swish and Gabe was left with a fluffy white bunny. Gabe smiled.

"Oh Gabe, that was fantastic." Mia reached out and petted the bunny.

"I like the color." Gabe looked at Mia and she blushed and looked back at the bunny. How much did he know about the white tiger? "Anyways, it looks like a real bunny."

Gabe was right. The bunny was sniffing her book, then it would hop over and sniff her quill, but she didn't hear it talking. "How about it little guy, are you real? Can you hear me?"

_ Food. Safe. Quiet. Burrow. Food. Safe. _

"Food, are you hungry? I have some food right here." Mia held up a scrap of parchment for the bunny to sniff. It sniffed it before hopping over to Gabe's book and sniffed that as well. It clearly wasn't convinced by her words.

_ Food. Safe. Burrow. Food. _

"That's so interesting." Mia focused on the bunny while Gabe sat in confusion.

"What? What's interesting? The bunny didn't want to eat the paper. So what? It just means it's smart."

Mia laughed. "No it's more than that. It's like this animal is just instinct, it's only concerns are to find food and to find a safe quiet burrow. It has no mind, no voice; it's just an impression of an animal. A shadow of the original thing."

"Now how could you possibly know that? It's an animal! Animals don't have personalities."

Mia looked at Gabe like he was insane; luckily Professor McGonagall took that opportunity to round their table. "Mr. Adewumi, great work here! And must I say, I loved your display of Gryffindor pride at the game yesterday." Gabe sunk his head in the memory but Mia held hers up with pride. "And Miss Black I applaud your use of the book I gave you. Ten Points to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw." McGonagall had a thin smile on her face. "Alright, now perform the reversal charm and it's your turn Miss Black." Professor McGonagall began walking to the next table.

"Professor?" McGonagall turned back to Mia. "Professor, is an animal created with this charm a real animal?"

"Well of course it is Miss Black. Just because it isn't born doesn't make it any less living."

"I didn't say it wasn't living, I asked if it was real. You know, normal. It doesn't think like a normal animal, it doesn't have thoughts other than instinctual actions."

Now Professor McGonagall was giving Mia the same look that Gabe was. "Miss Black, what makes you believe it thinks differently?"

"Have you ever tried to talk to an animal you transfigured?" McGonagall and Gabe both gave Mia the same look again. "I mean as an animagus." Now Gabe and McGonagall were giving Mia a different look. Mia was getting flustered. "As an animagus you have spoken to other animals, right?" McGonagall nodded encouraging Mia to continue. "And when talking to them you know that they have sentient thought. They talk like real people. Owls are gossips, rabbits are happy and joyful unless they smell a predator, cats are sarcastic and sometimes rude and wolves are loving and loyal. Animals have personalities, you can tell one from another when you speak to them. You have spoken to one haven't you?"

"Yes, yes Miss Black, I have spoken to them before. But really, how can you know this?"

"It's complicated, but my point is, this animal doesn't think like that. Trust me, try it sometime. Its thoughts are purely instinct, not an ounce of self in its mind." Mia was fascinated by this discovery, so fascinated that she was revealing too much to Gabe and McGonagall. But she did trust both of these people, more than anyone else. She was just glad that the rest of the class was too distracted to pay her any mind.

"That is a very interesting theory, something I will look into in the future. Until then, try practicing the lesson Miss Black." Professor McGonagall swiped her wand and turned the rabbit back into a snuff box, and then she promptly walked off.

Gabe looked at Mia. "What was that?"

Mia put her face in her hands. Why did she say all that? She looked up and grabbed her wand, pointed it at the snuff box and spoke the incantation. The snuff box grew black fuzz. She sighed and put her face back in her hands. "Well at least it has fur," Gabe said.

Mia laughed. "Gabe, can you keep a secret?"

Gabe sighed. "Always".

"I can talk to animals."

Gabe blinked. He blinked again. "What?"

"Am I speaking English? I can talk to animals." Mia lowered her voice even more. "That's why I went out to the forest last night, the wolf pack, they are my friends. I was angry and I felt betrayed and hated so I was going to spend time with my pack. That was until some foolish boy decided to go crashing through the woods after me!"

Gabe looked at Mia with confusion then astonishment and finally resting on accusation. "You let them attack me!"

Mia laughed. "They weren't attacking you! They just really love messing with people, and you wandered into their territory! They are big pranksters. Fleetfoot, that's the big grey and black one, he loves chasing stray students out of the forest."

"But what about that tiger?"

"Tiger? What tiger?"

"There was a white tiger. It jumped out of the tree at me!"

Mia looked at Gabe with a look of confusion. It was taking all of her concentration to keep it and not a look of guilt. "I've been spending most of my free time in those woods for the last year and a half, and I've never seen a tiger in there."

Gabe shook his head and did a reversal spell to turn the snuff box back completely to its original form. "Close your eyes this time and try again. So what sort of things have you seen in the forest?"

Mia pointed her wand at the box and closed her eyes. "Rabbits, wolves, birds, squirrels, other rodents, nothing fancy. The wolves usually protect me from anything dangerous and they stay away from the centaurs." Mia spoke the incantation and opened her eyes. The box had ears, and no fur. She sighed and Gabe reverted the box back. "I saw a unicorn once." Gabe perked up and looked at Mia. "He was amazing."

"What did he say?"

"Did you know unicorns can tell when you’re lying?" Gabe looked on with awe and shook his head. "He helped me admit a truth to myself that I was avoiding. He also warned me that You-know-Who was in the forest. You remember how Quirrell was feeding him unicorn blood? He warned me to stay safe. Then he gave me a hair from his mane." Mia tried the spell again and ended up with a snuff box with mice legs. "That was the first night I met the wolves, my first time in the forest. You-Know-Who killed several more unicorns in the forest after that. I often worry that he was one of them."

Gabe reverted the box back. "Why haven't you tried seeking him out?"

Mia smiled sadly. "You don't find a unicorn, they find you. Unless you are a soul sucking demon."

Mia pointed her wand at the box again. This time Gabe reached out and grabbed her hand. "Focus. Close your eyes, take a deep breath. Feel the power rise up inside of you, shape the magic with your words and with your imagination and put it into the box."

Mia closed her eyes and did as she was told. She opened her eyes and before her was a brown mouse. Its fur was in the faint pattern of the wood grain of the snuff box. Gabe closely inspected the mouse. "Close enough." He smiled at Mia. "I wanted to apologize. That's why I followed you. I wanted to apologize for not standing up to those stupid girls sooner. I did yell at them, it was just a bit delayed." Gabe smiled again. "Though I do have to admit, going from Murderers Heir to the Heir of Slytherin in one night, now that's impressive!"

Mia shook her head and punched Gabe in the arm. "So you have heard?" Mia laughed. "I just don't get it! People would know if the Black family was a direct descendent of Slytherin! Besides, I'm in Gryffindor!"

Gabe laughed back. "Teenagers never were the smartest bunch. Don't worry; I'm sure the masses will be pointing their fingers at someone else soon enough. Just don't antagonize any muggle borns in the meantime."

"I didn't even know he was a muggle born! He was just super annoying!" Gabe laughed. "Keep your voice down or people will be sure to convict you." Professor McGonagall returned and pointed out Mia's flaws in her spell work but awarded her a few points for her success.

Mia petted the mindless mouse. "How long have you been able to talk to them?" Gabe asked.

"As long as I can remember. I grew up in an orphanage, and I was never like the other kids. Now I know it was because I was a witch, but before that it was hard." Mia smiled up at Gabe. "Sort of like my first year here, no one ever spoke to me. I was an outcast, so I would make friends with the stray cats. That only made the other kids make fun of me more. As soon as I was old enough to climb I would spend my day in the trees reading and talking to the birds. Finches may not be too bright but they were welcomed friends."

"You never talk about where you were before Hogwarts. I knew you didn't have any family but I guess I never really thought about it." Gabe was curious but he knew Mia wasn't very open so he didn't want to push for answers.

"It was difficult, but I never knew anything else. I was a year old when I was placed there. I would have dreams sometimes about things I must have seen before the muggle orphanage but talking about that was never really an option." Mia could tell Gabe was curious. "I know I don't talk much about anything personal, but it's only because I'm more of a suffers in silence type. I trust you and don't mind if you have questions. The orphanage feels like so long ago, like some bad dream. Those memories aren't painful anymore so never feel like you can't ask. I know your thirst for answers Ravenclaw boy."

Gabe and Mia laughed for a bit as they took turns turning the box into animals. Mia slowly improved until her mouse was completely normal looking, but still smelt a tad like tobacco. Gabe decided to risk another question. "So the first time you went into the forest. Why did you do it?"

Mia thought for a moment. "Honestly, I felt the itch to break some rules." Gabe laughed. "Really, I felt trapped in the castle and you know me, I hate playing it safe. That's why I climbed trees every day of my childhood. I was lonely and didn't want to be trapped any longer, so I went in over Christmas break and met the wolves. They welcomed me immediately into their pack, let me play with the pups, explore with them. They have been the closest thing to family I've ever had over the past year."

Gabe looked intrigued. "Why were they so welcoming? Was it because you spoke to them? I know they weren't welcoming to me!"

Mia smiled. "It was strange, it was like they were watching out for me. Fleetfoot said someone they called Moonwalker told them to look out for me. They were calling me with their pack songs over the first few months of the year. They wanted me to come to them so they could look after me better. I still don't know who told them to do it."

They talked for a while longer. Mia told Gabe all about the different members of the Pack and their different personalities. It was soon time for Mia and Gabe to part ways. "Uhg, I have Herbology with the Slytherins next, and guess who is in my table group?" Mia shook her head. "None other than your annoying cousin.”

Mia laughed. "Good luck with that! I on the other hand get to go to potions now!"

Gabe shook his head. "You are the only one in the world who gets excited about that."

"I’m going to ask Professor Snape about my potion today, find out why your arm hair didn't turn gold."

Gabe burst out laughing in the middle of the entrance hall and a few first year Hufflepuffs ran away frightened. "Wow! Good luck with  _ that _ . Hope you don't get detention out of the deal!" Gabe started walking towards the green houses and Mia disappeared down to the dungeons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think? Will Snape give her detention for asking a question?


	51. Surprisingly positive results

Class was slow and painful. Slow when Snape didn't allow half of the room to brew their own potions, and Painful when Goyle spilled some of his potion onto Mia's arm. This seemed to brighten Snape's mood so Mia took it as a sign that today was the right day to ask him for help.

Finally class ended and Mia waited until the rest of the class had filed out of the room as she packed up her bag. As the last student escaped to the freedom of the outside corridor, Mia approached Professor Snape at his desk. He was checking papers and promptly ignoring her. 

"Professor Snape? May I ask you a question regarding experimental potion brewing?"

Professor Snape looked up at Mia with the same look Neville had used towards his flooberworms earlier. Mia decided to just go for it. Maybe if she intrigued him enough he wouldn't send her away with a detention. "Right well, I was just trying to figure out if there were any outside variables that could tamper with the localization properties of a potion."

Snape looked at her as if she was speaking nonsense. "Explain yourself properly Miss Black or do not speak at all."

Mia took this as an open invitation to explaining her potion and problem. "Well Sir, I created a potion using a varied recipe to alter the pigment of a person's skin and hair. The potion was a complete success and fulfilled my need fully but I was caught off guard by an unpredicted factor. The potion was to change the subject's skin one color and the hair another color, which it did. But upon further observation I discovered that the subjects arm hair remained its natural color. For the purpose of my potion this factor does not matter in the slightest, but the principle tells me that there was a variable I didn't take into account, and on an academic level I know this is unacceptable and could lead to unforeseen problems in future experiments."

Mia finished her explanation and waited, keeping solid eye contact with her professor the whole time. 

Severus Snape stared back at the bold twelve year old girl in front of him. He couldn't believe what he had just heard her say. He knew for a fact that this girl was sharp and had great natural talent in potions but being that she was a Gryffindor and a Black he chose to ignore this fact. What she was telling him now caught him off guard. There were many students in this school who had the brains and skills to do what she was describing, maybe even a few her age. But he didn't know another student who would see a side effect like non dyed arm hair and see it as a warning sign that they had missed something. And then to seek him out and ask about it? Severus made it a point to make himself very inaccessible to his students. He even tried to deter this student in particular rather often, but to see that she had defied the status quo and her own self preservation in the desire to make herself better in a field and a classroom where she was hated and unwanted impressed him. He never would have done such a thing as a child if for nothing else his own pride. Of course that didn't mean he was going to make it easy for her.

"Miss Black. Are you telling me that you have been practicing unsupervised experimentations in my field without my permission?"

Mia blinked. That wasn't the answer she was expecting. But two could play that game. "Yes Sir, I am." Snape's eyes grew dangerous, but before he could respond Mia continued. "Sir, Professor McGonagall is aware of my research and practice of Potions, and has often encouraged me to do so. I am sorry if you feel this was disrespectful towards you or your class, but I wished to learn and felt this was the best opportunity to do so."

Professor Snape stared Mia down for a moment but she didn't waver. Finally he spoke. "May I see your recipe?" Mia quickly opened her book bag and pulled out her potions notebook. She turned to the page where she had written out the final recipe and procedure for her potion and handed it over to the potions master. Snape took a moment reading through the page, an almost invisible smile crossing his face as he realized the true product of the prank. Finally with a blank face he began to assess her work. "This is a very adequately created potion. I see nothing in the ingredients or brewing process that would account for any flaw. How was the potion administered?"

"I dried it to a powder and applied it to a scarf. I had an upperclassmen add a charm so that the potion only activated when the scarf was tied." Professor Snape looked down at the page again to hide his smile as the full prank was laid out for him. "But I don’t think that’s the issue. I read somewhere that once completed a potion is bonded. The ingredients used can no longer be individually affected by an outside source because the ingredients as individuals no longer exist, only the potion as a whole. I know if I had made the silkworm a powder before it was added to the potion it could have caused this, but once the potion was made nothing could have affected the silkworm to do this."

"That is only a half true assessment." Professor Snape addressed her as an academic, not as a teacher who hates his student, and this student in particular. He seemed to come alive in a very confined way as he spoke about real potions work. "It is true that most substances, once bonded in a potion cannot be effected by an outside source, but there are a few more volatile ingredients not commonly used that can be affected this way. I see you used Thorbskin instead of flobberworm. This was to prevent the walkeni paste from reacting to the flobberworm. This was a very wise choice, although I am not quite certain where you procured the Thorbskin from." 

Mia immediately looked down; she had harvested the Thorbskin from the forbidden forest. Thankfully Snape did not notice and continued with his assessment. 

"Thorbskin is one of few ingredients that does allow some of its properties to be influenced once a potion is bonded. Although nether powdering or an activating spell would cause this. Tell me, what did you use as an antidote? I see you did not build any fading properties into your potion and I have not seen any red and gold students wandering the halls."

Mia smiled to herself, she wasn't sure if Snape would be able to tell the colors from her recipe. "I had an upperclassmen help me with a wearing spell so that it would fade after a few hours."

Snape snapped the book shut and handed it back to Mia. "There lies the problem." He pulled out a scrap of parchment and scrawled a few words on it. "The corrosive properties of the wearing charm would have reacted with the thorbskin causing it to act as a localizing ingredient. Similar uses can be made of the plant if it is roasted before the brewing process occurs. If the wearing charm had been extended to last a few days or even weeks the results would have been greater and the subject would have most likely had large bare spots on his skin. There are a few ways to prevent this from happening. The most obvious would have been to use a fading charm instead of a wearing charm. Obviously you did not do this as it would have caused the potion to gradually fade through the day instead of losing its color all at once like the wearing charm caused. The second way would have been to build the antidote properties into the potion. This is much more complex on the front end, but always provides more accurate results in the end." Professor Snape handed Mia the scrap of parchment. “I have written a few titles of books that would adequately explain this form of potion brewing. They will not be something you can find in the school library and may have to owl order them if you are really determined.”

Mia looked down at the paper and couldn't believe what she had heard. She never expected Snape to be so helpful and forthcoming with information. "Thank you for your help Professor." Mia turned and started to leave the classroom.

"One more thing Miss Black." Mia turned. "To ensure you do not make such mistakes again, I would like you to write me a fully researched paper on the different substances that have post brewed reactivity. It will be due before the Christmas holiday."

Mia smiled though the professor did not look up. Just like Snape to turn a learning opportunity into punishment. "Thank you Professor." 

Snape did not respond, and returned to reading the paper before him as if nothing had happened. He had been– angry wasn’t the correct word–  _ displeased, _ to learn the spawn of two of his greatest enemies were now in his class. Potter was useless, but Black? Maybe it was a fitting punishment to the man he so loathed that Severus would now have the opportunity to teach and guide while her father rotted away in the prison he so rightly deserved. 

Mia left the dungeon, happy that for once her Potions teacher was actually challenging her instead of ignoring her. Mia ran up to the great hall, ignoring the faces and the whispers and walked over to Gabe. She snatched a sandwich off of the table and whispered to Gabe in an excited voice. "He gave me homework!"

Gabe shook his head. "You are so weird." Mia nodded and left the room eating her sandwich smiling the whole way to her dorm. She found some of Hermione's owl order forms and filed them out for all the books Snape had suggested. She would take them up to the owlery in the morning. In the meantime, Mia decided to catch up on some of her sleep from the previous night. She changed into her PJ's and cleaned her teeth, climbed into bed and snuggled down with her Mooney Bear falling asleep almost instantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAnd Snape actually teaches her something? Who saw that coming!?


	52. Surprises

Over the next five weeks not much happened in the Hogwarts world other than fear mongering and suspicious rumors. Most of the school was quite certain Mia was the Heir of Salazar Slytherin and chose to avoid her at all cost. Mia's response was to ignore those around her who looked on her with fear and simply go about her day hardening her heart in human relations. This mask of false confidence and blatant disregard for her classmates only seemed to make her more feared and the students more convinced of her evil. Some of the younger students took to jumping out of her way with little shrieks when they suddenly found themselves facing her in crowded corridors and Neville had become even more of an incoherent mess when he was teamed up with her in classes.

Mia was becoming especially adept at cleaning charms and shielding spells for all of Neville's accidents in potions. Each time Mia suffered glares of hatred, shrieks of fear or the occasional blistering potion spilt on her, she pretended not to care or even notice. She would just take a deep breath and remember that at least a few students were on her side. She would close her eyes and remember Harry and Hermione's trust, Draco's encouraging smirks, Gabe's warm and loving smile, even Ron's encouraging words 'Hey even  _ I _ know you're not the heir'. 

When Mia was faced with her daily persecution she would try to remember these things, but it didn't matter. No matter how much she tried to ignore her surroundings or focus on the few good things in her life, Mia's heart was aching. Her day was an almost constant struggle to keep her emotions in check as she focused on classes and ignored the glares and whispers all around her.

With the added security to the castle Mia wasn't able to sneak off to the woods to spend time with her Pack in peace so her only real breaks came in the times that Gabe was able to steal her attention away from her problems. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been supportive through the situation, the latter more so than the first two, but Mia could tell that the three students were up to something, planning away much as they had the previous year. Hermione was always sneaking away at odd moments and coming back with damp shoes and frizzy hair. Mia never questioned her but trusted that if they wanted her help they would ask, but Gabe was her true relief. He could tell that his friend was out of sorts and could easily guess why given the current focus of the student body.

Gabe's 12 year old boy brain made it impossible to connect with his friend and understand her problems on a deep emotional level but somewhere in the part of his brain that would one day be a man he still sought for her solution. Gabe knew he was unable to solve Mia's problems without hexing the entire school into reason or single handedly catching and exposing the true heir of Slytherin but Gabe did know how to distract Mia. All he had to do to get her mind off of her surroundings and into a rhythm of peace was to ask her something about potions, anything about potions. He would ask her about an ingredient commonly used or a potion they had to make in class and she would relay the information to him in a thoughtful and creative way that actually helped him to retain the material. He found that her teaching him about potions was much more fruitful than him teaching her about Transfiguration. That subject always seemed to make her more frustrated.

Mia knew Gabe wasn't interested in how to brew a shrinking potion or to properly chop cadseed but she recognized that he was trying to make her feel valued and wanted and she appreciated him for it. Sometimes Gabe's diversions took the form of eating dinner in the owlery or spending a Saturday exploring parts of the castle Mia had yet to discover over the summer, but one Thursday evening his proposed activity seemed like anything but a good idea.

Mia sat in the Library poring over her transfiguration essay making sure her work was flawless. She had recently decided that her wand work would never pass so she was putting all of her energy into her written work. She was in the process of adding a few lines to sum up the ending when a loud voice startled her. 

"Hey Heir of Slytherin! Pack up your bag, we have places to be!"

Mia jumped several inches in her seat as Madam Pince came out to shush whoever was disturbing her peace. Mia glared at Gabe as he sunk into the chair across from her. She could see a group of third year Hufflepuffs whispering at what they had just heard as if the Ravenclaw boy's admission had been all the proof they needed to condemn her as heir. "You know you really aren't helping."

Gabe looked at the foolish girls a few tables over whispering away. "Oh come on, no one's going to take that seriously." He looked back at Mia and realized he had lost her again to her focus on her work. He looked down at her parchment to see what she was working on. "Ok, that's enough, your transfiguration essay is perfect you've spent twice as long on it as I have, now pack up and let's go!" Gabe started closing her books and sliding them towards her bag. "Come on come on come on let's go!"

Mia sighed. "Fine!" She started packing up her essay, putting the top onto her ink and cramming everything into her bag. "But where are we going that's so bloody important?"

Gabe stood up as if waiting for her to take off running after him and he bounced on his heels a little to hurry her. "It's a surprise, now are you coming or not?"

Mia's eyes lit up as she heard mention of a surprise. "Oh, what kind of surprise?" Mia finished packing her overly stuffed and heavy bag but before she could shoulder it Gabe took it out of her hands and slung it over his neck and shoulder. Then promptly made for the exit of the library. Mia had to jog to keep up. "You know I can carry my own bag!" Mia had to holler after him as he sped off the corridor walking too fast for her shorter legs.

"True! But if I let you carry it then you will just complain about how fast I'm walking and how heavy your bag is!"

Mia couldn't argue with his logic but she still didn't like Gabe's aloofness. "But where are we going? And that still doesn't change the fact that you're still walking too fast! You're too tall!" Gabe stopped suddenly and let out a big sigh. He turned around just as Mia caught up to him and grasped her hand firmly. As soon as he had a good grasp of her hand he took off again dragging her along again at his rapid pace.

"Gaaaabe! Where are we going?" Gabe simply ignored Mia and continued to drag her along. "Gaaaabe!" Eventually Mia gave up her attempts to get her friends attention and allowed herself to be pulled to her fate.

Gabe led Mia down several hallways and several staircases until they were standing outside of the great hall. Realization of their location suddenly dawned on Mia. "Gabe no! Don't you dare!" Mia tried to pull out of his grip but failed as he pushed the door to the great hall open and wrapped his arm around her shoulders preventing her escape as he guided her into the crowded room.

The hall was packed and not a soul noticed Mia and Gabe enter the room. The Great Hall had been transformed. The house tables had been removed and instead one low long platform had been placed in the middle of the room. Gilderoy Lockhart was standing on this low stage giving some sort of ridiculously spectacular speech. The female half of the audience seemed to be hanging on his every word while the male half of the room seemed bored or eager for the action to start. 

Mia elbowed Gabe in the ribs while still trapped under his arm. "You know I didn't want to come to this!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember what Gabe just dragged Mia to?


	53. Wizards Dueling Club

Gabe laughed. "Relax Mia! Rumor has it Snapes is going to be demonstrating with Lockhart!"

"Oh so now you're a fan of Snape?"

Gabe let out a gasping laugh. "Bloody hell no! But if he hexes Lockhart I will definitely be cheering for him."

"That's all fine and perfect for you, but how do you think I will do in a room full of students that hate me and are currently being permitted to cast hexes?"

Mia whispered this question to Gabe but he casually let out a laugh. "Please, no one will try to hex you, they are all too scared you will sick your monster on them in revenge!" 

Gabe said this in amusement but Mia knew what he said was true and that made her heart heavy. She didn't like people believing the worst in her. 

Gabe noted her eyes darkening and tried to reassure her. "But just remember, if anyone does try to hex you, I have been practicing my counter curses. If I plan on being an auror some day then the least I can do now is defend your honor." Gabe smiled reassuringly and Mia just smiled and shook her head. She appreciated his heart even if he did make her do things she didn't want to do like attend the dueling club.

Just then Lockhart invited Snape onto the stage and the whole room focused in on the teachers in front of them ready for a show. Both teachers faced off, Snape with a cold deadly look and Lockhart with a disturbingly dazzling smile. Lockhart explained the procedure as they went. "Now on the count of three we both cast our spells, not aiming to kill of course." Mia saw the hint of a grin on Snape's face. "One two three..." both teachers raised their wands and professor Snape rang out a crisp  _ expelliamis _ and a bolt of red light shot out of his wand striking Lockhart fully in the chest and blasting him back into the wall.

Mia noticed his wand went flying off to the side and saw a few of her fellow female housemates dive for it. Mia let out a chuckle as Gabe whooped and all the Slytherins cheered. A few of the girls seemed afraid for their teacher, but he shakily got to his feet and started complimenting Snape on his choice of spell and explaining how he  _ let _ the professor demonstrate that one. Mia turned to Gabe with a new appreciation for defensive spells. 

"That was fantastic! Forget transfiguration, Gabe you have to teach me that one!"

"Oh yeah sure, I'm sure Lockhart allowed that one, more like he never saw it coming! Mia I haven't even done that one before, how can I teach you?"

"That's ok, you learn it, and then show it to me! It will be great, trust me."

"I'm glad to see your confidence in me hasn't wavered." 

On the stage confidence in one's partner was the last thing in existence. Lockhart was suggesting another round between himself and Snape but with one look at Snape's murderous eyes he quickly re planned."Enough demonstrating I am going to come among you now and put you into pairs. Professor Snape, if you will?" The two teachers began making their way around the room. When Lockhart got to Mia and Gabe, Gabe made it clear he would be paired with Mia. Looking around the room Mia noticed that most of the pairs set up by Snape were a bad match mixing rival houses. Mia noticed Draco and Harry on the other side of the room and began to worry.

Back on the stage Lockhart called out the orders. "Face your partners, and bow." 

Mia looked back at Gabe and saw an evil glint in his eye. She knew he was about to pay her back for turning him red and gold. 

"Wands at the ready!" 

Mia raised her wand and tried to remember the word to the disarming charm. 

"Now when I count to three cast your charms to disarm your opponent, and only to disarm them. We don't want any accidents. One... two... three!"

Gabe swung his wand up high and shouted  _ rictusempra _ ! A blast of silver light shot out of Gabe's wand and headed straight for Mia. Instinctively she forgot her wand and threw up her arms and as the spell reached her it collided with a thick shield and rebounded straight back at Gabe hitting him in the stomach and knocking him off of his feet. Mia looked up as Gabe lay curled up on the ground rolling around and laughing uncontrollably.

Mia looked down on Gabe with sick satisfaction as she walked over to him. Just as she started laughing at his incapacitating state a small jet of red came flying over from a group of 5th years and hit Mia in the ear. With a cry of pain she dropped to her knees grabbing her ear as it swelled up to four times its normal size. Mia looked around her as the entire room was in chaos. If she had to guess not one student had used the disarming charm but had instead resorted to whatever hex they were best at. Hexes were flying all over the room and students everywhere were on the floor incapacitated. Hermione was even trapped in a headlock by a scary looking Slytherin girl.

"I said disarm only!" Lockhart seemed to notice the chaos around him at last. "Stop! Stop!"

" _ Finite incantatem!" _ Snape took charge and his spell put a stop to all active spells and hexes. Lockhart began pacing the room looking at the aftermath of the battle. There were several bloody noses and some blackening eyes. The few people like Mia hit with a stinging jinx had swollen appendages. Gabe picked himself up off the floor and Mia elbowed him in the stomach.

"Oh watch it! My abs are sore from laughing!" Gabe started rubbing his stomach with a look of self pity.

"Serves you right trying to hex me!"

"Yeah but clearly you're fine and I'm the one who got hit! How did you do that by the way?" 

Before Mia had a chance to answer their attention was drawn to the stage. Lockhart had decided on a student demonstration to teach how to block. And it appeared Snape had recommended Harry and Draco as the pair of test dummies. The crowd backed up to give them room. Lockhart explained to Harry what to do. 

"Now Harry, to block a jinx just wave your wand like this." Lockhart waved his wand in a ridiculous manner moving his arm like it had a mind of its own then promptly dropped his wand on the floor. Looking slightly embarrassed he picked it back up. "There you have it my boy, do it just like that and you will be fine."

Harry looked up at Lockhart with disbelief as Snape whispered something sinister into Draco's ear. 

"Um professor, could you show me that block again?" Harry asked. 

Lockhart just ushered Harry forward. "Just do it like I did and you will be fine."

"What drop my wand?" Harry asked. Lockhart seemed not to hear Harry but Gabe let out a snort at the blond professor's incompetence. Mia grew worried for her classmate as he and her cousin faced off.

Lockhart took a step back. "Three... two... one... GO!" he shouted.

Draco raised his wand quickly and shouted  _ serpensortia _ ! The end of his wand exploded and Mia watched as a snake flew out of the end and landed a few feet away from Harry. The crowd stepped way back clearing the floor as a few girls screamed at the snake. 

"Don't worry, I will get it Potter." Snape took his time walking towards the snake as it stared Harry down, but before the potions teacher could remove it Lockhart cut him off.

"Allow me!" With a bang Lockhart flourished his wand and sent the snake shooting up into the air only to land again with a loud smack. 

Now the very angry snake started making its way after the students headed straight for a Hufflepuff named Justin in her Herbology class. Mia looked on in fear as the snake went after the boy with a vengeance. Harry stepped forward and the strangest sounds started to come out of his mouth as if he were hissing at the snake trying to make it angry. The whole room watched in horror as Harry looked up at Justin with a strange smile on his face. 

Justin looked at Harry with fear. "What are you playing at?"

Snape came forward waving his wand and made the snake disappear in a puff of black smoke. The whole room was looking at Harry in shock. Even Gabe couldn't believe it. "Bloody hell! It can't be Harry." Mia tried to ask Gabe what had just happened but he wasn't paying any attention. Ron grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him out of the great hall. The room erupted in whispers and rumors that Mia wasn't understanding. Lockhart made some grand dismissal and told all injured students to head to the hospital wing.

Gabe grabbed Mia's hand and pulled her out of the room. He waited till they had gotten to a deserted corridor before they stopped. "Are you going to tell me what just happened now?" 

Gabe looked up with excitement. "You're off the hook is what just happened! Harry did it! He's the heir of Slytherin!"

Mia's mouth fell open. "Are you kidding me? He's not the Heir! That makes just about as much sense as me being it."

Gabe waved his hand as if dismissing her words. "No no no, he didn't really do it, but everyone is going to think he did now. He's a parselmouth!" Mia looked at Gabe like he had gone insane. "A Parselmouth, come on, you have to know about them since you can talk to animals."

"Ok Gabe ether start explaining in a way that makes sense or step back so I can practice that hex on you."

Gabe laughed. "Come one, everyone knows that Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth. He could talk to snakes. It's a trait that only ever belongs to really dark wizards. But with him just showing off in front of the school like that, everyone will think he did it! Now we just need to make sure no one finds out you can talk to snakes as well. Though it's weird, when he does it he makes hissing noises, but when you spoke to the mice you just talked regular."

"But I can't talk to snakes." Gabe looked at Mia with confusion. "I can talk to animals and birds. I can't talk to reptiles, fish or bugs."

Gabe's eyes lit up. "That's perfect! Trust me Mia, your days of being an outcast are over."

"Yeah just until the next murderer comes out on the loose and everyone starts blaming me for that. But I would like to know what the difference is between Harry and I. I've never sounded different when I spoke to an animal."

Mia had scrunched up her face like she was thinking hard and Gabe grinned with a solution. "I know that look, TO THE LIBRARY!" Gabe enthusiastically turned towards the library and Mia just burst out laughing. Gabe looked back at her to grab her hand and pull her along again but something caught his eye. "Mia! What the bloody hell happened to your ear?"

"Oh that is just what happened when my Auror bodyguard was incapacitated by his own hex and I was hit with a stinging jinx."

"Well then it looks like we have a change of plans." Gabe grabbed Mia's hand and turned the opposite direction. "TO THE HOSPITAL WING! And then TO THE LIBRARY!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you guys love Gabe yet? I love Gabe :]
> 
> Today is my brother's birthday, so while he doesn't 'get' harry potter, and calls me a nerd, which I am, this chapter is for him : ]


	54. Attack

By the next day Mia couldn't believe the change. Gabe was right as the whole school had switched its blame from Mia to Harry overnight. There were still a few holdouts like Lavender who believed it was Mia, but overall she was being left in relative peace. 

Mia ate her breakfast in the Great Hall and when she sat down at the table around her housemates she was shocked when the other students didn't move away. Harry on the other hand was suffering the worst of it. Mia felt bad that he was being persecuted but as Gabe pointed out, unless she confessed to the crime, there was no way for her to help him out.

Gabe slipped onto the bench next to Mia and stole a piece of bacon off of her plate. "So how are you enjoying your new found innocence?" Gabe continued devouring the food on the table.

"It's weird. I'm sitting right here and no one is trying to get away from me." Mia took a last sip of her pumpkin juice. "So are we going back to the library to keep researching?"

In answer Gabe began shoveling food into his mouth to make sure he had his fill of breakfast. After the dueling club and the hospital wing Mia and Gabe had headed to the library to see what they could read up on parselmouths or even find out where Mia's ability to speak to animals came from. They hadn't found anything yet but there were a few more books in the section related to non wand related or hereditary magic. Mia waited until Gabe had crammed as much food into his mouth as he could and then they headed out to the library. 

They grabbed a few books off of the shelf they had started on the night before and took them back to one of the tables. Mia started skimming through one of the books but found it was mostly related to abilities in astral projection. She pushed that book aside and opened another.

A group of Hufflepuff students were sitting a few tables away from Mia and Gabe and as Mia was reading their conversation carried over to her ears. "Justin knew he was in danger when he accidentally let it slip to Potter than he was muggle born. I mean you don't let something like that out with the heir on the loose."

"So you definitely think it’s Harry then do you Ernie?" that was Hannah Abbot talking, she still wouldn't make eye contact with Mia after the first day they met on the train.

"Hannah, he's a parselmouth, everyone knows that's a sign of a dark wizard. Besides the wall said for the enemies of the heir to beware. First Potter had some sort of run in with Filch and the next thing you know his cat gets attacked. Then that first year Creevey was trying to take pictures of him lying in the mud then the next thing you know Creevey's been attacked!"

Mia shook her head and stopped listening. "Weren't those exact same people blaming me for Creevey yesterday? They make absolutely no sense!"

"They are Hufflepuffs, of course they make no sense! And unless you want them focusing back on you I suggest you let it go."

Next thing Mia new the table of Hufflepuffs had gone dead quiet. She looked up and saw Harry standing in front of their table. "Hello. I'm looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley." the Hufflepuffs all paled as they looked at Harry.

"Oh Harry! Why doesn't he get that you can't reason with an angry mob?" Mia whispered. 

Gabe laughed. "Harry is too much of a 'good guy'. He always tries to fix things."

"And what is that supposed to mean? I'm not a good person because I don't try to talk things out?"

"No! I don't mean a good guy like that; I mean he tries to be an optimist. You are more practical. You're a survivor and know when to leave something alone and when to fight for something. He just fights for everything blindly. That's why he ends up in life threatening situations like last year with Quirrell." Mia nodded, she understood Gabe's point, but she still wished she could help Harry out. She looked over to the Hufflepuff table and saw Harry walking away in frustration. The look of triumphant on Ernie's face made Mia's stomach ache. Gabe had gone back to reading his book and with a bit of a yelp he gestured to Mia. "I think I found something! This chapter has been explaining about the abilities of a Parselmouth, but here at the end is something good."

Gabe and Mia both leaned into the table so that he could whisper as he read. "Though not as rare as the Parselmouth trait is the ability of a Beastspeaker. A Beastspeaker is an individual with the ability to commune with mammals and birds by a telepathic link. Unlike a parselmouth who communicates in the snake's language, a Beastspeaker is able to communicate directly with the mind of an animal. Although verbal speech is often more natural for the Speaker to communicate, it is not necessary if the Speaker directs their thought strait to the animal. In the same way than an Animagus is able to communicate with other animals while in animal form, a Beastspeaker is able to communicate at all times with an animal. This rare ability has occasionally been known to crop up randomly through history, and although not much research has been performed, it is believed that this ability is more commonly found in the children of an animagus. It is more common for the child to develop the Beastspeaking ability if the Animagi is the maternal parent." Gabe stopped reading and looked up at Mia.

Mia was deep in thought and trying to process the words she had heard. "So this means I'm a Beastspeaker. Although I've never tried to talk to an animal without actually speaking before."

"Well why don't we try it? Let's head up to the owlery."

The two started packing up and returning the books to the shelves. Ernie and his Hufflepuffs seemed to be leaving at the same time as them, and Mia held back to let them get a good lead in the corridors before she followed. She didn't want her and Gabe's conversation overheard. 

"So do you think this could mean that one of my parents was an Animagus? I've read the ministry's registration list and there were only like half a dozen this century. Neither one of my parents was on it."

Gabe took a moment to think before he answered. "I honestly don't know. I mean it would make the most sense but how many people do you think become unregistered Animagus?" Gabe looked at Mia who just shrugged without looking him in the eye. "But if one of your parents were one, according to the book it was most likely your mom."

Mia smiled at this thought. "That's true, she was a Ravenclaw so I'm sure she had the brains for it."

"I didn't know that! Sounds like a great woman. Do you know how she died?"

"No, I think the common thought is that my father killed her too. She was a muggle born you know. Professor McGonagall says she was a brilliant witch, top of her class, and quite the goody good. My father on the other hand was a total rule breaker. Brilliant in his classes, but got more detentions than the Weasley twins. He was in Gryffindor." 

Gabe listened quietly, not wanting to cut Mia off. He liked it when she told him these things, it made him feel more validated as her friend. 

"Did you know him and Harry's dad were best friends in school?" Mia added.

Before Gabe had a chance to respond they could hear screams and yelling coming from a corridor just down the hall. Ernie in front of them took off at a run and Mia and Gabe followed. As they got closer Mia could make out the yelling, it sounded like peeves. "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTACK! ATTACK! NO HUMAN OR GHOST IS SAFE!"

Mia and Gabe came into the hallway that was packed with students, chaos everywhere. Professor McGonagall raised her wand into the air and let off a loud BANG! 

"All students return to your classrooms at once." 

As the hallway cleared, the only students left in the room were a few second years in Mia's Herbology class.

Ernie was standing next to Mia looking into the middle of the hallway. "Caught in the act Potter!"

Mia looked and standing in the middle of the hall was Harry standing over the petrified body of Justin. There was a dark mass hanging in the air that Mia identified as a smoking burnt version of Nearly Headless Nick.

Professor McGonagall took control of the situation immediately, she conjured a stretcher for Justin and had it charmed to float up to the Hospital wing guided by an older student, then she conjured up a fan and had Ernie follow behind fanning Sir Nicholas down the corridor. Then she turned to Harry. "Potter I'm afraid this is in the hands of the Headmaster now." Gabe pulled Mia out of the hallway before she had a chance to jump to Harry's defense.

"Come on Mia cut the Gryffindor bravery and think for a minute, what could you possibly say that would help and not get you into just as much trouble?" Gabe paused but cut Mia off again before she could speak. "Professor Dumbledore knows Harry didn't do it, just like he knew you didn't do it. Harry won't get expelled off of student rumor! Teachers aren't as stupid as the students of the castle. The only way we can really help Harry, is to find out who the heir really is, not that we can just do that between classes or anything."

Mia sighed. "I can't just let him suffer."

"Face it Mia, Your heart is just too big. Harry can handle it just like you did." Gabe looked at his watch. "Too bad you can't sneak into Ravenclaw Tower and help me pack, that's something I really could use your help with! The Hogwarts Express leaves tomorrow morning at 9am."

"I can't believe you're still ditching me for the winter holiday with the heir on the loose! With this attack the day before break you know the castle is going to empty fast."

"Well hopefully the heir will go home for break as well. You’ll be fine, besides, I can ask my older brother everything he's ever heard about the Chamber of Secrets. I haven't even thought of asking him. He knows tons about Hogwarts." Although he knew his mother would never let him miss a Christmas at home, Gabe's true motivation for going home, he kept from Mia. He wanted his little research project to be a secret for now.

Mia sighed at Gabe's refusal to ditch his family. She didn't really want him to stay for her, but she still liked teasing him about it. "Fine, just make sure you get something good out of him."

At dinner it was clear that many of the students had changed plans and were now leaving the castle. After Mia said her goodbye to Gabe, she headed up to her dorm looking forward to a quiet castle at Christmas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhh so Gabe is up to something? Who knows what it could be!?!


	55. Christmas planning

With the fear of a monster on the loose more students loaded onto the Hogwarts Express to head home for the Christmas holiday than originally planned. Mia was kept company in the castle with Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys. Draco's parents had also insisted he stay in the castle, but as Draco had insisted his goon best friends stay with him as well, Mia didn't plan on spending any time with him.

She did however manage to sneak out of the castle on the first day and make it to the Forbidden Forest. She spent a few hours with the wolves and discovered that if she thought just right she really could communicate with her Pack without speaking! Mia wrote Gabe that day and told him all about it, knowing this meant she really was a beastspeaker.

The few days leading up to Christmas, Mia devoted herself to getting her Christmas presents together. She had owl ordered them all from one of Hermione's catalogs and was very happy to know that she was putting the Black family wealth to good use. Chocolate frogs for Ron, a book of business strategy for the Weasley twins, a silver inkwell with a green engraved snake across the top for Draco and Quidditch goggles for rain games for Harry. She also found a notebook charmed to expand with fresh pages when it's filled and bought one in blue and one in scarlet for Hermione and Gabe. For Professor McGonagall, Mia created and brewed up a potion that when dried and added to tea like sugar made the dregs turn into tiny flowers and float on the surface. Gabe's birthday was also on the 30th and after listening to him complain for several days about how everyone always ignores his birthday due to it being so close to Christmas, Mia was planning something special. Mia spent her first day of break in the room of requirement on the seventh floor adapting her color changing potion to serve her purposes.

On the second day of break, Mia approached the Weasley twins for help. Knowing they were the only ones left in their dorm, Mia made her way up the boys stare case and without knocking pushed open their door. The two twins were laying on one of their beds with their heads bent over a bit of parchment. As soon as the door opened one of the twins shoved the parchment under a blanket while the other jumped up to block her.

"Whoa! Little Miss Salazar, what do you think you’re doing?"

"Oh you know, just planning the next attack and wondering if you had any ideas who it should be." Mia loved the twins for their light hearted perspective of the school attacks. They had taken Gabe's perspective and embraced Mia's bad rap.

Twin number two (Mia was thinking it was George) sat up on the bed to join in on the conversation. "Come on Mia, drop the act. We all know it was Harry, not you who is guiding the monster!"

Fred cut in to add his accusation. "Yeah, how could you lie to us like that? We really thought we could count on you to take out our enemies!"

Mia let out a laugh and hopped onto one of the empty beds. "So how about you boys let me in on the trouble and show me what's on that parchment you both were looking so intently at."

Fred sat back down onto the bed next to his brother and both twins crossed their arms in sync with wicked smirks on their faces. "What makes you think we're always up to something?"

"Please, don't insult my intelligence," Mia said. "Besides, don't you still owe me after I helped you work on that candy that makes you throw up?"

George being more the businessman wasn't going to give up to Mia that quickly. "No I believe we paid you back for that one by helping with your Gryffindor pride prank."

"And here I thought you did that one simply for the sake of Mischief." Mia leaned forward and looked from Fred to George. "What about the one you owe me for helping for the antidote for the puking candy? If I recall Fred would still be in that stall if I hadn't stepped in on that one."

Fred seemed offended by this comment. "First of all its Puking Pastiles, patent pending, and second of all, you're the one who let us test the half that makes you puke before we finished the antidote half!"

George cut in. "Yeah, that's why we let you in on our projects, aren't you supposed to think those things through for us?"

Mia leaned back on the bed with an evil gleam in her eyes. "I thought it through, but then I decided it would be more fun to watch you figure it out for yourself the hard way."

Fred's jaw dropped and George feigned mock hurt. "Did you hear that Freddy? Looks like Miss Mia here let us fall into her trap!"

"Yes Georgie it looks like we've been played." They gave each other a look then looked back to Mia. "So what do you think, should we let her into the true secret to our success?"

George leaned in to studdy Mia a bit closer, and Mia held her breath hoping to hear their secret. "No Freddie, I don't think we will tell her just yet."

Mia sighed with exasperation. "Come on, didn't I already swear that blood oath to secrecy on all of your creations for that joke shop you two plan on opening some day? What was it? Weasley's Wizarding Coughs?"

"It's Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. And keep smart talking us like that and we won't cut you in when we become gazillionaires."

"To be honest, I'm not in it for the money," Mia said. "I just like the potions work, and the pranks. I do enjoy the pranks."

Fred decided to distract Mia from their mysterious parchment. "So speaking of pranks, what brings little miss Black into the den of the schools biggest pranksters just before Christmas?"

Mia smiled and got to her point. "I was just wondering if either of you two in your mischievous wizdom had ever thought how you might slip something into a teacher's goblet, say at the welcome back feast?"

The twins looked at Mia with a mixture of admiration and surprise. "We may have worked up a plan for something like that."

"Who's goblet were you wishing to spike?"

Mia looked the twins dead in the eyes. "Lockheart."

Without even thinking, the twins rang out their answer as one. "Done."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think the twins were looking at when Mia came in?


	56. Christmas Plotting

When Gabe arrived home for the Christmas break he was swamped in hugs from his mother trying to make up for all of the time she lost while he was away at school. His father had greeted him with a hard slap on the back and a firm hug, and his older brother who was visiting for the holiday greeted him with a headlock. As much as he would never admit it, Gabe loved his family dearly.

His father Adamu was from an old Wizarding tribe in Nigeria. He moved to London in his early twenties and did some work as an ambassador for the Ministry of Magic. His mother Lucia graduated from Hogwarts, a proud Ravenclaw at the top of her class and went straight into a research and development position in a leading magical household cleaning supply company.

After making a breakthrough in a new house cleaning agent, Lucia was at the Ministry to secure a patent for her new company when she quite literally bumped into Adamu Adewumi. She crashed into him, sending her paperwork and his case files to the floor and in a flurry of apologies, both knelt down and began picking up the dropped papers. Lucia, distracted in her embarrassment didn't notice Adamu had stopped picking up the papers and was instead captivated by the sight of the flustered witch in front of him. As Gabe's father tells the story, the moment her eyes met his, he knew he could never again look away. The happy couple were married in a year and had their first son Alec within two years. Six years later Gabe came into their lives.

As he grew up, Gabe remembered his mother always bringing home old and rare books on old forgotten magics and potion making. His mother loved collecting and reading these old books, and growing up Gabe loved to read the old faded titles on the spines and watch as his mother pored through the old tombs. This is where Gabe's passion for learning came from.

On his first morning home for Christmas break, Gabe took advantage of an empty home and slipped up to the family's study. He started reading the titles on the bookcase holding his mother's rarest books, looking for one he had seen as a child. He remembered finding it when he was six, a book with no title on the spine. Curious Gabe had pulled out the book to learn the name and not seeing it on the cover he pulled the book open. Most of the words were too big for Gabe to care what they said, but he was captivated by the sketches here and there. He flipped through the pages examining all the sketches he could find. Then towards the back of the book he had found it, a chapter with a sketch of a man turning into a fox. He tried to cipher out the title of the chapter. "To be an Animagus." This last word, young Gabe didn't know, but the moment his mother entered the room and saw him reading the book on dark magic she had torn it away from him with a heavy scolding.

Gabe had learned a few years later what this word had meant, and knowing it to be illegal had never completely squashed the interest and curiosity this sketch had brought him at so young an age. Now that he had met Mia, Gabe knew he would never be free of the curiosity until he had researched this ability fully. Gabe quickly found the book he had found as a young boy and flipped to the back of the book until he found the same sketch he had first seen. He now read the first page. "To become an Animagus is a hard and difficult road, but if one commits fully to the following steps laid out in this text, then one may achieve a great skill to be prized and honored."

Gabe snapped the book shut and made his way back to his room. Once at his desk he dug around for a stack of parchment and a quill. Opening the book back up to the chapter Gabe began copying the text word for word. There was a description of what an animagus was, followed by a very complex potion, and finished with a process of transformation. The potion worried Gabe, he knew he would never be able to brew something so complicated without Mia's help.

Then he thought up a wicked plan, he could ask her what to do, without her discovering his real motives! He would ask her about the proper way to prepare an ingredient, or ask her to explain a brewing technique listed in the book. Then he could take notes on it all and brew the potion over the summer. His brother Alec had just gotten his own flat in Wales, and he could hide out there while he brewed it. Alec was good about not asking too many questions.

Gabe paused while writing out the instructions. What was he doing exactly? He wasn't planning on becoming an animagus, it was clearly dangerous, not to mention illegal, so why was he even bothering with the work? Gabe sighed and kept copying. He knew Mia had been looking into this, and he was curious to know how far she had gone. Maybe if he kept asking her questions about the potion long enough, he would be able to figure it out. This was some pretty advanced potions work and there was no way Mia would know all of it unless she had brewed it before. So Gabe decided his plan. He would continue to research and prep for the potion, asking Mia all the questions he didn't know, and if he reached something she had never heard of before then that would mean she had never made the potion and Gabe would have his answer and could stop his work.

Satisfied with his rationalization, Gabe continued copying the text, planning on having the book back in its place on his mother's shelf before she returned from the store. He wouldn't brew the potion, he wouldn't become an animagus, he would just keep studying it to better understand the magic, and to maybe unlock another mystery of Amelia Black. He knew there were so many things about her that he had yet to discover, and he couldn't wait to learn it all.

* * *

Christmas morning came and Mia woke up to Hermione uncharastically bouncing on the foot of her bed. "Mia! I love it! It's perfect!" Hermione was holding the notebook Mia had gotten her. "Now open yours!" Mia looked at the small heap of presents at the foot of her bed excitement flooding her heart. Hermione fished out the one she had gotten Mia and handed it over. Mia carefully tore open the package and found a beautiful snow white quill. "It's a swan feather."

"Wow, Hermione! This is so beautiful! Thank you!"

Hermione smiled big. "I'm gonna go wake up the boys. See you at breakfast!" Hermione ran out of the room with a last ‘Happy Christmas' to Mia.

Mia smiled at her friend's joyous attitude. She looked at the foot of her bed and realized with a jolt that her pile of presents was much larger than last year. Mia carefully began unwrapping the presents, savoring the feeling knowing that people cared for her. The first present she came to was a book from Draco entitled _Staying on Your Broom; a How to for the Uncoordinated Wizard_. Mia laughed at his humor. She also had a book on rare potion techniques from Professor McGonagall.

The most surprising present or presents in the bunch, were the four large presents wrapped in gold paper. The note on the first one said they were from Mia's aunt Narcissa Malfoy. She wished Mia a happy Christmas and told her that if anything didn't fit to just let her know and she could get it resized. It was clear this present was just from her aunt and didn't have mention of her uncle anywhere in the note. 

Mia had been very thankful for the clothing her aunt had bought her over the summer. Being an orphan Mia had never followed any sort of fashion and it had felt nice having beautiful clothes to wear under her robes. Even though most of the school didn't speak to her, it gave her a bit of added confidence knowing her clothes rivaled those of Lavender and the other girly girls. The first package held several beautiful dresses and Mia set one of the scarlet ones aside to wear for Christmas dinner. In the second package were a new pair of shoes and boots in the next size up from the ones her aunt had gotten her over the summer. The other two packages held a collection of skirts and blouses in different styles and colors. Everything was of fine quality and very beautiful. Mia was thankful that her aunt had such good taste. All of the colors were either in Mia's house colors or in huges that fit her complexion.

The last present in the bunch was from Gabe, it was a wonderful pair of silvery blue dragonhide gloves for potions work. Attached was a note: 

_These are from a Swedish Short-Snout, their skin is the same color as your eyes so I thought they would be perfect. Hope you have a great Christmas! See you soon and try not to get petrified over the holiday!_

Mia slipped on the gloves and was thankful to see that they were charmed and shrank perfectly to fit her small hands. She couldn't wait to wear them in class.

Mia climbed out of bed and went to the window. The snow looked fresh and crisp. With the castle almost deserted Mia felt alive with adventure. Deciding to skip breakfast Mia piled on her warmest clothes and bundled up. She knew that with less students in the halls and Christmas in the air, the teachers wouldn't be so tight on security and she would be able to sneak down to the forest to spend the day with her pack.

As soon as she was out of the castle, the air bit through Mia's clothes and chilled her to the bone. She raced to the forest and as soon as she reached the tree line Mia risked it and changed to her tiger form. Her thick fur was surprisingly warmer than her cloak. She met up with her pack and got warm and toasty in the middle of a dog pile while she explained the concept of Christmas to the wolves. She felt at peace lying among the animals, listening to the gossip of the forest. Fleetfoot was concerned because some of their game was being driven out of the area for reasons he didn't know, but Pounce was having a great winter due to there being more spiders than usual in the forest, and Pounce loved chasing spiders.

Mia listened lazily snuggling into the wolves warm den until she felt the day growing late and knew she had to return to the land of the two-leggers. She bounded through the snow all the way to the castle in her white tiger form knowing her fur would keep her hidden in the snow, then changed back just before entering the castle. Mia didn't encounter a soul as she made it all the way up to the Gryffindor common room where she encountered the twins sitting in the good chairs by the fire. They spied her outdoor wear as she climbed through the portrait hole. 

"And where have you been Missy?"

Mia didn't stop as she crossed the room and made her way up to her dorm. "I'll never tell."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Gabe you sneaky kid. Don't go looking into illegal potions.  
> In other news, I just cut off like 10 inches of my hair. How is your quarantine going?


	57. Christmas Dinner

After a hot shower Mia got ready for Christmas dinner. She decided to wear her hair down in loose waves and put on one of her new dresses. Just as she was fixing her shoes Hermione came in looking for her.

"There you are! I thought we could walk down together. I feel bad I haven't seen you much today." Hermione's strange disappearances had gotten more frequent over the last few days and Mia knew her, Ron and Harry were working on something big.

"It's ok, I've gotten quite adept at keeping busy around this castle." Mia finished with her shoes and straightened up. "Come on, let's go get some food before Ron eats it all!" 

The two girls made their way down to the common room in good spirits and met up with Harry and Ron. After wishing a few happy Christmases the four second years made their way down to the great hall where they ran into the three Slytherins just outside the doors. Harry and Ron and Hermione exchanged evil glares with Crabb and Goyle as they passed into the great hall.

Draco completely ignored the other three Gryffindor's and greeted Mia with a classic smirk. "Happy Christmas, cousin." Bored by a conversation without food Crabb and Goyle went in to find seats.

Smiling, Mia stepped forward and gave her cousin a big hug. "Happy Christmas, Draco!"

Draco stood stiff in her arms in protest pushing her off of him. "Amelia! What are you doing? I'm a Malfoy! Malfoy's don't hug!"

Mia snorted. "Yes and I'm a Black and Black's do hug."

Shaking his head Draco responded. "No they don't trust me, Black's definitely don't hug."

"Well I'm the only Black left so I guess I'm changing that and you will just have to deal with it."

Draco looked concerned. "Just promise you won't do it in front of anyone."

Laughing Mia said, "Don't worry, I will try to keep your image as a tough guy as intact as I can. And thank you for the book by the way, I'm sure it will come in handy."

Now it was Draco's turn to laugh. "I figured you could read up and then we could have a rematch sometime. I loved the inkwell by the way. Very Slytherin, I was surprised you had it in you."

"What can I say, I aim to please. Speaking of which, you have to thank your mum for me next time you write her. I absolutely love the clothes!" Mia did a little spin to show off her dress.

Draco was shaking his head again. "Merlin! That woman is crazy about you, it's like you're the daughter she's always wanted. Every time she writes she asks about you."

"She does? What do you tell her?"

"I don't know, I usually just make things up." Mia hit Draco in the arm, shocked that he lied to his mother about her. "Hey! It's not like I say bad things, she just expects us to be best friends or something so I tell her we study together sometimes, things like that. Really you should just write her yourself. She says she doesn't want to pry but it would really save me a lot of time."

Mia laughed. "Well if it would make things easier on you then I guess I will. Come on, let's go in now, I haven't eaten all day and I bet they are waiting on us."

Christmas dinner was amazing as always. The food was excellent, the decorations were beautiful and everyone was in good spirits. Wizard party crackers were popping everywhere and Professor Dumbledore forced Snape to put on a pointy blue wizards hat with yellow stars and moons on it. Draco kept making snide comments to Harry and the Weasleys about their lumpy homemade sweaters, and even a toast from Lockheart about the value of friendship couldn't darken the day. 

Mia thanked Professor McGonagall for the potions book and the old teacher excitedly told Mia she had already tried the tea additive and that it worked wonders. She had even brought it with her and insisted the house elves bring her a cup of tea so that she could show Professor Snape her impressive present. Snape, goofy wizard hat and all examined the tea and flowers carefully and after sniffing and tasting the tea told Mia she had an adequate creation. Mia beamed under the praise, thankful for the forced affirmation from her teacher.

After dinner Mia went to her room and retrieved a pen and paper. With a second thought she also fished in her trunk for another pouch of the tea additive she had made, then she headed up to the owlery to write a letter to her aunt. She thanked her aunt for the clothes telling her how much she loved them and that they all fit perfectly and she wished her a happy holiday. Thinking about what Draco had said about her aunt asking about her, Mia decided to add more to her letter. She told her about her classes and how she was the best in potions and loved to create her own. She explained about the tea additive and the praise she had received by Professor McGonagall. After thanking her aunt again for everything, she attached the letter with the dried potion to one of the school owl's legs and sent it off into the night.

Mia sat up in the cold owlery for a while talking with the birds and just thinking. She remembered that she still had to write a letter to Gabe so she pulled out another piece of parchment and wrote.

_ Gabe, _

_ Merry Christmas! I hope you are having a great time with your family. Thank you so much for my gloves! They are so beautiful! I didn't know they made Dragon-skin gloves from different colored Dragons like that! I would love to see a dragon that color in real life some day. I have to remind myself that the dragons shed their skins every three years so they don't actually kill dragons to make the gloves, otherwise I would feel bad owning them. _

_ Don't worry, no one here has been petrified since you've been away, but Dumbledore did get Snape to wear a goofy pointed wizard's hat all through dinner. It looked just like the kind that Muggles make wizards wear in their story books. You would have cracked up if you had seen it. I know you have a normal functional family that you love, but you should see Hogwarts at Christmas, it's almost even more magical if that's possible. Professor Flitwick charmed the great hall to make snow fall and all the teachers are so light hearted. It's like that over the summer as well, as if the whole building feels more peaceful without all the students. _

_ So anyways, the reason I'm writing this is to let you know not to expect a birthday present from me on the 30th. No I didn't forget, it's just that your present won't fit on an owl. You will get it at the welcome back feast when everyone gets back from break. And no, I will not tell you what it is so don't even write back asking. _

_ Happy Christmas! _

_ Mia. _

_ P.S. Ok, here's a hint. Your present is shiny and arrogant and pink all over. No wait it's blue... Now it's green. Now it's orange... _

Mia folded up the letter and attached it to another one of the school owls. Once he’d flown off, Mia made her way back to her dorm, ready to turn in for the night. Mia noticed Hermione was nowhere to be seen and wondered if she would ever find out what her roommate was up to. She changed into her pajamas and climbed into her warm bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

The next morning Mia woke up ready for breakfast. After not eating much except dinner the day before, Mia was craving potatoes and bacon. She got up and took a shower, dressing in a new outfit and as she tied her shoes she realized Hermione's bed was untouched. The last time Hermione had been out all night Harry had almost died. 

Not wanting to worry, or rat her roommate out for being out all night, Mia went down to breakfast. Only a few teachers and Percy Weasley were up so Mia sat down and focused on eating her fill. A little while later Professor McGonagall appeared looking short on sleep. She approached Mia and addressed her in a tired voice. 

"Oh Mia, I wanted to tell you so you wouldn't worry. Miss Granger was taken ill yesterday. She will most likely be in the hospital wing for the next few days."

Mia was shocked. "Is she ok? What happened?"

Professor McGonagall looked rather frustrated on the matter. "She will be fine. Now if you will excuse me, I need my morning tea." The Professor walked to her table and poured herself a cup of strong tea. Mia knew something must have happened last night that put Hermione in the hospital wing and kept McGonagall up late. Mia finished her breakfast and snuck up to the hospital wing. Mia snuck in the door keeping an eye out for Madam Pomfrey. On the far side of the room away from the still petrified forms of Colin and Justin there was a bed completely curtained off. Mia snuck over and slowly peered through the curtains. What she saw shocked her. Inside was a life size girl cat. It had the shape of Hermione with thick orange fur covering its face and hands and two pointed ears poking up through the bushy brown hair. The creature before her was clearly Hermione as she was reading a book with the same posture Hermione always used.

Mia decided humor was probably the best approach for this situation and addressed Hermione in little more than a whisper so as not to alert Madam Pomfrey. "You know it's illegal to try to become an Animagus without alerting the proper authorities.

Hermione jumped and covered her face with her book in horror. "Mia! Get out of here! I don't want anyone to see me like this!"

Mia refused to be pushed away and instead sat on the edge of Hermione's bed. "Hermione, it's ok, I'm not going to make fun of you, I just wanted to make sure you were ok. I was worried." Hermione only said something muffled through the book that Mia couldn't understand. Mia put her hand on Hermione's furry paw like hand and tried to get her to lower the book. "Please Hermione, I don't care what you look like."

Hermione slowly lowered the book. "I don't want anyone to see me like this. It's so embarrassing."

"How did it happen?" Mia asked.

"I told Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall I didn't know." Mia just looked at Hermione as if asking the real reason. "If I tell you, do you promise not to tell?"

"Hermione, you've kept my secrets when I've snuck out before, you know you can trust me to keep yours."

Hermione took a deep breath. "It was polyjuice potion."

Mia's eyes widened in shock. "You brewed it?" Hermione nodded. "So that's where you've been disappearing off to!" Hermione looked surprised that Mia had noticed her disappearances. "So why did you brew it? Who did Ron and Harry turn into?"

This part Hermione seemed more willing to share. "Crabb and Goyle."

Mia was confused. "How would anyone ever benefit turning into Crabb and Goyle?"

Hermione sighed as if surrendering herself to tell Mia the whole truth. "We were trying to question Malfoy and though we could get out of him who the heir of Slytherin was and if it was you know, him."

Mia looked at Hermione with pity. "Oh honey, I could have told you that!" Hermione looked at Mia with disbelief. "Believe it or not, but Draco and I do talk. Right after Mrs. Norris was petrified I asked him about the chamber and he told me everything he knew, which was just about as much as Professor Binns told us."

"That's about what Harry and Ron got out of him." Hermione leaned back against the pillows. "Six weeks wasted on that stupid potion and all I have to show for it is a cat face!"

Mia laughed. "Hey turning into a cat isn't the worst thing in the world."

After trying to cheer Hermione up, Mia headed back to the Gryffindor common room looking for something to do. It would be another week before the students arrived and Mia was hoping for something to occupy her mind. Once in the common room, Mia looked around. The youngest Weasley, a small girl named Ginny was next to the fire scrawling in a book, and Fred and George were at a table in the corner playing chess. Mia walked over to the twins and plopped down in a chair. 

"Please, I'm begging you. Don't you have any experiments you can't quite get out of the theoretical stage I can look at? I swear I'm going to go mad with boredom." The boys just looked at Mia with a gleam of mischief. Mia knew she was asking for trouble, but she was just relieved knowing she would have something to do over the next week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Hermione :] what do you think Gabe's present will be?


	58. A Birthday prank

As the Christmas holiday drew to a close, Mia was eager for the students to come back so she would have something to take her mind off of things. The Weasley twins had helped quite a bit as she had helped them work out some of their colorful projects, but Mia couldn't wait to see Gabe and give him his birthday present prank.

As the students returned to the castle, Mia made her way down to the great hall and mixed with the incoming students. Gabe ran up to her in a flurry of blue and bronze and clapped her on the shoulder. "Where's my birthday present?"

Mia laughed, "Nice to see you too, Gabe."

"Right yeah, good seeing you. Now where's my present?"

Mia just turned and walked to her house table as Gabe was swept away to his.

"Patience!" she yelled at him.

All the students took their seats and Gabe kept catching Mia's eyes to mouth the word 'present'. Professor Dumbledore stood to make a welcome back speech and as he sat, everyone's plates and goblets filled with food. Mia winked at Gabe and gestured to the head table mouthing the word 'Lockhart'. Gabe looked at the dazzling teacher with glee along with Mia and the Weasley twins. Professor Lockhart raised his goblet and took a large gulp before starting on his mashed potatoes and nothing seemed to be different. Then as if an invisible hand waved over the teacher, he started to turn pink. Starting with the top of his brilliant hair the pink spread down Lockhart's face and down his neck, until every part of his skin showing from under his robes was a brilliant pink.

Gabe's mouth dropped open and a huge grin spread across his face, he turned to Mia from across the house tables but Mia shook her head and gestured back to the staff table. No sooner had Gabe looked back at Lockhart did he begin to change again. This time the pink turned to a deep green. At this point the students were beginning to notice, and shouts of surprise and bursts of laughter were ringing out around the room. Lockhart however had not noticed, but was busy smiling and occasionally waving to the students who were gawking at him.

Professor Sprout was the first of the teachers to notice the green professor. She let out a loud squawk drawing the attention of the rest of the teachers as Lockhart turned to a pastel purple. McGonagall was the first to speak. "Gilderoy? Ar-are you feeling alright?"

Lockhart turned to Professor McGonagall with a toothy smile.

"Of course dear woman. Just giving some attention to the students who seemed to have forgotten that they had a teacher such as me. Honestly you would think I would be used to my own fame by now, but alas!" At this point he turned from purple to a bright canary yellow and a few Hufflepuffs let out a whoop of joy.

The whole student body was in an uproar at this point and several of the teachers weren't even attempting to hold back their laughter. Professor McGonagall had a very thin smile she was clearly trying to contain as she spoke. "Gilderoy, you are yellow."

Lockhart was obviously confused by this statement and to buy himself some time to respond he raised his goblet up in a grand gesture, and then he spotted his hand. 

With a loud " _ Gaah!" _ the teacher dropped his goblet, spilling the potion and grabbed his yellow hand, shocked to see that the other hand was just as yellow. The whole hall burst out with laughter and even Professor Dumbledore had a slight grin on his face as he ate his potatoes.

Lockhart pulled a hand mirror out of his robes and was holding it up to his face just as he turned ruby red. "What? What is this? I don't understand! Someone do something! Professor Dumbledore please!"

Professor Dumbledore looked up as if noticing the predicament for the first time. "I'm sorry Gilderoy, but this doesn't seem to be any sort of transfiguration I know of, Perhaps Severus would be of some assistance."

Gilderoy turned to Snape and Mia started to worry. This potion was almost exactly like her potion she had used on Gabe that Snape had helped her with. He would know it was her for sure. Snape looked over at the now teal professor with the evilest sneer Mia had ever seen. He stood and walked to where Lockhart was sitting and picked up the dropped goblet. He examined the remnants of the liquid and sniffed it. Most of the room held its breath in fear of a cure. Then at last Snape turned to Lockhart with a face of mock sorrow. 

"Actually Gilderoy, I do recognize this potion," Mia ducked her eyes in fear. "But unfortunately there is no known antidote." The great hall began cheering again. "I imagine it should wear off in a few days." Snape returned to his chair with a grin, leaving a very disappointed and very orange professor behind.

The rest of the feast passed with little else happening other than the occasional color change of the DADA teacher. Gabe met up with Mia as she left the Great Hall and he jumped with excitement proclaiming that was the best birthday present he had ever received in his life. They rounded a staircase on the way to their dorms to find Professor Snape standing around a corner blocking their path. Mia and Gabe both froze. Mia knew this would mean detention.

Snape shot a glare at Gabe who was glaring right back, and then he turned to Mia with a neutral expression.

"How long?"

Mia knew he was asking how long the potion would take to wear off. Mia lifted her chin and answered with confidence. "Three days sir."

Professor Snape nodded. "Fifty points  _ to _ Gryffindor.”

And with a flourish of his robes he was gone, leaving two very stunned students behind. For the first time in his life, Gabe didn't have a bad thing to say about Snape. Mia's shock and joy carried her all the way past her annoying housemates and their suspicious inquiries after Hermione's health, and straight to bed and a peaceful night's sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok what did you think? Brilliant prank? What about Snape? Did he shock you?


	59. Valentines

After three days Lockhart was back to his usual colored self, and the school fell back into a normal rhythm. Mia helped Ron and Harry with keeping Hermione stocked full of books and school work and within four weeks she was back to her normal catless self. Nothing seemed to break up the monotony of classes and studying. Mia was overjoyed to find that Gabe seemed to have found a new interest in Potions and would often ask her complex questions she enjoyed answering.

Finally February hit, and with it, Lockhart seemed to launch the whole school into a cascade of pink and red terror. His idea of fun, Mia found out in her DADA class, was to throw a Valentine's Day bash and have actual cupids go around and deliver love poems and songs among the students. 

Mia couldn't think of anything more embarrassing or horrifying than to have someone send her one of these singing Valentines, and that seemed to be the general census. 

At that moment, Mia came up with a wicked plan to torment Gabe.

On the actual day Mia made sure to stick by Gabe during their free time. It was clear that the general population seemed mortified at the prospect of getting a valentine. When a cupid tracked down Harry he took off at a run, but the cupid tackled him to the ground and recited an embarrassing poem. Then just after lunch a particularly angry looking cupid came around the corner and spotted Gabe. As the boy made eye contact with the cupid he seemed to pale and immediately looked for a place to run. Mia quickly stepped in his way and blocked his path as the ugly cupid began to sing in a very deep and off tune voice.

"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream.

I know you, the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam

Yes, I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem

But if I know you, I know what you'll do

You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream"

The cupid finished the song with the same morbidity usually reserved for a funeral and threw a handful of pink heart shaped confetti over the boy before he quickly flew away as if thankful to be done. Mia burst into a huge fit of laughter and fell to the ground leaning back against the wall of the corridor and holding her stomach, as Gabe stood there looking mortified. 

Just then a very hairy cupid rounded a corner and stopped in front of Mia. Mia paused her fit of laughter just long enough to look up and be hit in the face with a big fist full of red glitter. Then the Cupid recited a short poem:

"There are no words to describe how beautiful she is,

or how special she is, or how smart.

To put these things into words would be to define them,

To quantify them, which means to limit them.

There is no definition fitting, nor any limit,

nor beginning or end to her beauty."

Then with too much force the cupid threw a red rose at Mia, hitting her across the face. Mia stared dumbly at the rose as it fell into her lap and Gabe sank down to the floor next to her, looking down at the glitter at their feet he spoke, "I was trying to be sweet."

Mia looked up at him with total bewilderment as if to say 'what just happened'. 

"I'm covered in glitter aren't I?"

Gabe just nodded as he stood up. He reached back down and pulled Mia to her feet. "You have so much glitter on you, you look just about as red as I was at that Quidditch game, only you're more sparkly." Mia kept a tight hand on her rose as she stood up and she made her way to the bathroom to wash her face. 

"You don't have to keep that flower. It was stupid, and that cupid practically beat you with it." Gabe was feeling extremely stupid right now. He had written a poem for Mia, what in the world had possessed him to do that?

Mia looked down at the flower in her hand not meeting Gabe's eyes as she approached the bathroom. "It’s the first flower anyone has ever given me before. I'm keeping it." And with that, Mia entered the girl's bathroom to wash off her glitter leaving a still flushed Gabe behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, this one and the last were super short, but I couldn't resist. Don't worry, the next one is longer.


	60. A Closing School

After the terror and excitement of Valentine's day, not much encompassed the school's attention. Mia focused on school work, and Gabe focused on Quidditch. The fifth and seventh years were studying hard for exams and second years got to pick out their third year courses. Mia had decided against taking Divination on account of her few run-ins with the ditsy teacher over the summer holiday. So she planned on taking Arithmancy instead. She was also extremely fascinated with Ancient Runes, so she signed up for that as well. As she was picking out her classes during one lunch break, Gabe dropped on the bench next to her with Ron, Harry, and Hermione to pick his out as well. Hermione seemed to be having the most trouble picking only a few classes as she wanted to take them all, and Harry and Ron were trying to figure out which would be the easiest. He turned to Mia. "What are you thinking of taking Mia?"

Mia tapped her bottom lip with her quill finally deciding for sure. "I think I've decided on Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. I think Arithmancy would be really fun and Ancient Runes would be excellent for learning magical theory."

Gabe nodded as he made a few check marks on his class sign up list. "Yeah, I was thinking of taking the same."

Ron looked at Gabe like he was mental. "Why would a future Auror want to take those classes? You only need NEWTS in Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, and DADA and an elective! So just take those and Divination! Easy A!"

"Ron!" Hermione elbowed Ron in the side as Gabe flushed. "Just because you don't see taking new classes as an opportunity to learn doesn't mean other people have to be as dry in their class choices as you!" Ron and Hermione launched into an argument and Harry quickly changed the subject to the next Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

Gabe turned to Mia. "Hey, so we only have six weeks of classes left before summer."

Mia's face dropped and she folded up her class electives list. "Please don't remind me."

Gabe chuckled. "Well I was thinking. I talked to my parents and we have this extra guest room since my brother moved to Wales, and they said it would be fine as long as Dumbledore agreed." Gabe started rambling without taking a breath, and then he paused dramatically. "Would you like to maybe come spend a few weeks with us this summer?"

Gabe stopped so suddenly Mia couldn't believe her ears. "Really? Are you serious?" At the thought of spending a few weeks away from the castle Mia's mind was racing with possibilities and excitement. "That would be amazing!"

Gabs face broke out in a huge grin. "Excellent! The first half of the summer I will be up in Wales with my brother working on- er just spending time with him, but as soon as I get back, you can come visit and then at the end of summer we can take the train back to school like everyone else. It will be so much fun! I'll go owl my dad now so he can set it all up with Dumbledore." And with that Gabe jumped from his chair and raced out of the Great Hall. Mia was so overjoyed she was carried straight through the rest of the week and was even willing to let Gabe drag her out to the Quidditch match that Saturday.

Mia was rooting for Gryffindor, but this time Gabe was rooting for Hufflepuff. He kept telling Mia over and over again that if Hufflepuff won this game and Ravenclaw beat Slytherin then Ravenclaw would win the Quidditch cup or something like that. Mia didn't usually pay attention when Gabe went off about Quidditch. The morning of the game was bright and sunny. Mia met up with Gabe in the entrance hall and they took off together to the Quidditch pitch. With Gabe rooting for Hufflepuff, they decided to sit in a Ravenclaw box so that Gabe didn't get hexed in a Gryffindor stand. 

The game was just about to start when Professor McGonagall walked onto the field holding a magical megaphone. Her voice rang out loudly over the whole field. "The Match has been canceled." There was a long pause where she seemed to be arguing with students on the field. "All students are to make their way back to their house common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"

Gabe and Mia exchanged worried looks. "This can only mean another attack." They made their way back to the castle and Mia crammed into her crowded common room. After a few minutes of students jumping to conclusions, Professor McGonagall returned with a depressed looking Ron and Harry. She made the announcement, telling them that Hermione and another student had been petrified, and that no student was allowed by themselves at any time unaccompanied by a teacher. Teachers would be escorting the students to each class and even on bathroom breaks. 

Then Professor McGonagall continued with even more bad news. "I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed." Mia looked at her teacher closely for the first time that term. She had seen so many emotions cross her teacher's face in the time she had known her and shared tea with her in the evenings over the summer. Professor McGonagall had shared much of her past and her life with Mia and was the closest thing to a motherly figure Mia had ever known. But the look of fear and worry that her teacher now wore was new to Mia and made her truly fear for the first time. "It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they know anything about them to come forward."

When Professor McGonagall left, the room erupted into talk and speculation. Not wanting to be a part of it Mia went up to her room. She looked at Hermione's empty bed knowing she wouldn't be coming back until the mandrakes could be harvested. Looking at the empty bed scared her more, knowing someone so close to her had been attacked. So she climbed into bed, robes and all and drew her hangings. She clutched her mooney-bear tightly.

If the school was closed, Mia would have nowhere to go. She would be homeless. They would probably send her back to the orphanage. Mia closed her eyes tight and tried her hardest to make herself sleep as she silently cried.

The next day seemed a blur as every student's actions were watched and guarded. No student was allowed to go anywhere without a teacher's presence. The groundskeeper Hagrid had been arrested and sent off to Azkaban, and Professor Dumbledore had been forced out of Hogwarts. But even with someone arrested for the crimes, no one in the school seemed very relieved. Mia was terrified of having to leave Hogwarts permanently, and the whole school seemed to be in a mood as no one even spoke a word in class. Being escorted to every class, Mia didn't see Gabe until Transfiguration just before lunch. 

Gabe seemed to have just as much on his mind as the rest of the school. He didn't say a word to Mia all through Transfiguration, as if he was thinking out something hard. Then, just as they were closing their book bags, Gabe turned to Mia. "Don't worry, if the school closes, you can come and stay with me. My parents will agree to it." He gave her a firm smile and disappeared with Professor Sprout off to his next class.

That evening Professor McGonagall walked the Gryffindors back to their common room after dinner. Before going inside, Professor McGonagall stopped Mia and asked her to wait a moment. Finally the last student went in and the Professor turned to Mia in the corridor. "I know this is a confusing and frightening time." Mia looked closely at Professor McGonagall and could see just how much things were weighing on her mentor. "Amelia, I just want you to know that if the school does close, I will be petitioning the ministry to allow you to come and stay with me." Mia couldn't believe what she was saying. "I have a house in northern Scotland and come the new school year we can figure whether or not to send you to Beauxbatons Academy or somewhere else. Now the only reason I tell you this is because I don't want you to worry. I know these are dreadful times, and to leave Hogwarts would be - tragic. But I just want to be sure you know, no matter what happens, you will be safe and cared for. I will make sure of it."

As soon as the old witch stopped talking, Mia closed the few feet between them and wrapped the professor tightly in a hug as hot tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "Thank you Professor, Thank you." Mia knew Professor McGonagall had no logical reason to take Mia in come a worst case scenario, but her offer after Gabe's offer earlier that day was making Mia realize something she had never realized before. There were people in this world that truly cared about her and wanted her in their lives. Mia had never known of anyone who felt that way about her.

Professor McGonagall had returned Mia's hug with strength, and when they pulled apart the teacher was wiping at her eyes as she ordered Mia to bed. Mia went to bed willingly, knowing that whatever the future held, it would never be entirely bad.

Over the next week things only seemed to get worse as nothing changed and the school lay unprotected by even its headmaster. Then one morning things seemed to look up. At breakfast Professor McGonagall announced that the Mandrakes were ready to be chopped up and turned to soup to unpetrify the frozen students. Everyone went off to their classes with less weight on their shoulders. On their way back from Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Lockhart was boasting about how safe the castle was and how there was really no more need for security measures. Then Ron and Harry suspiciously started agreeing with him. They convinced Lockhart to let the class walk to History of Magic alone and the professor headed off back to his office, fussing with his hair.

As soon as the daft teacher was out of sight Ron and Harry started to hang back from the class. Mia stopped walking and turned to them. "What are you up to?"

"Mind your own!" Ron glared at Mia as if willing her to vanish.

"Have you two ever thought, maybe you would be better off sharing what you know just in case you're right, and then die before you get a chance to tell anyone?"

Ron turned around and gestured for Harry to follow him. "We don't need any help from you, we have everything under control."

Mia turned in frustration and stalked off to her next class. "Just try not to get yourself petrified!" Mia walked the distance to her History class and took a seat just before the class started. 

Professor McGonagall appeared a few minutes later to let professor Binns know that Harry and Ron were excused from class. Mia was surprised because she didn't sound like they were in trouble. The history class was long and dry like always and Mia was anxious for the bell to ring dismissing them to lunch, but the bell never came. Instead, Mia could hear Professor McGonagall's voice ringing out magically through the whole school. "All students are to return to their House Dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."

Mia looked up with dread. What could have possibly happened now? Professor Binns had looked up from his desk with confusion and concern at the announcement. Then he told the class to do as it had said before he rose up through the ceiling towards the staff room. The class suddenly abandoned started to pack up their bags and headed off in a flurry to their dorms. Mia took a few short cuts hoping to intersect the Ravenclaw pathway, but instead of encountering Gabe, she just found the Astronomy teacher ushering students to their dorms and Mia was escorted away.

Once in the Gryffindor tower, it wasn't too long before Professor McGonagall arrived and announced the worst news of all. Ginny Weasley had been taken down into the Chamber of Secrets, and the school was closing. Everyone had to pack their things, for the train would be arriving early the next morning. Mia didn't know what to say to Harry or Ron as they sat there with shocked faces, so instead Mia just headed up to her room and began packing her things ignoring the worried voices of Lavender and Parvati.

They all climbed into bed that night uncertain of the future. Mia didn't even know if she would be getting on the train, or if she should wait for McGonagall in the Great Hall. There were so many unknowns. Mia tossed and turned all night not knowing what would happen or what she should do. Luckily for Mia, she only had to worry for a few hours. Before the sun had risen Professor McGonagall's Voice could be heard shouting up the dormitory steps.

"Up and at'em! All students to the Great Hall for a Celebration Feast! Hogwarts has been saved!"

When the first few students had shown their faces, Professor McGonagall had ordered them to wake up all the other students and rush them down to the Great Hall, pajamas and all, for a celebration. Mia couldn't believe the news. She hurried down to the Great Hall in her red and gold pajamas and found Gabe already waiting for her at her usual spot at the Gryffindor table. When he saw her he pulled her into a big hug. 

"We're staying!"

All around her, people were laughing and cheering even though no one knew exactly what had happened. They were just all overjoyed that their school was safe. The cheering continued even louder when the students who had been petrified returned healthy and happy. Hermione ran to a filthy Ron and Harry yelling. "You did it! You figured it out!"

Mia made a note to ask what had happened exactly, as the boys were both covered in mud. Professor McGonagall announced that exams were canceled as a treat, and Dumbledore announced that Lockhart would not be returning to teach. Each of these announcements received cheers of glee from the students. Then finally around three in the morning, Hagrid turned up having been released from Azkaban.

The night was joy for everyone, and come morning the students started making their way to their beds. The last two weeks of school passed in a haze. The truth of what happened finally came out. You-know-who had been the Heir, and had been using a book to control Ginny. Mia also pieced it together when she found out that Ginny's dad's name was Arthur. The book Mia had heard her uncle try to give her was the book that had almost killed Ginny and ended the school. Mia had a long talk with Draco about this, but at the end of it, what to do wasn't very clear. Mia's Aunt seemed to genuinely care for her, but Draco's dad had so many hidden agendas that Draco was beginning to question who he could trust. But in the end he was still Draco's father, and that wasn't a bond easily broken.

Finally the day came for all the students to leave the school. All of the students except Mia. Mia said her goodbyes to Hermione, Fred, George, Harry, Ron, Draco and Gabe. Gabe reminded her over and over again that he would see her in a few weeks. He would be visiting his brother in Wales for six weeks and then he would return home and his dad would come and get Mia to spend the rest of the summer with them.

As the students left the castle Mia wondered to herself what she could possibly do to stay busy over the next few weeks. As a solution, Mia waited until the last of the students had left, then she snuck out to the grounds, ready to spend some much needed time with her pack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's that! Year 2 is over! What do you guys think? The second year is my least favorite in the potter books, so I'm glad it's out of the way. Gabes addition is the only thing that makes it bearable to me. But now we move onto year 3. What do you guys think the year will hold? Comment and let me know :]
> 
> Sorry I forgot to post yesterday, posting two chapters today. My new switch lite was just delivered yesterday, so I've been playing animal crossing ever sense. Send help.


	61. A Long Lonely Summer

In a very unmagical part of London, there sat a small and shabby apartment building. Remus Lupin sat at the rickety table in the kitchen of his run down flat sipping a mug of strong tea. The man sighed deeply. The night before had been the full moon and Remus could tell he wasn't as young as he’d once been. The night had been long and painful. Money was tight at the moment so the wizard was unable to buy wolfsbane potion in the quantity and quality he needed to remain fully of his own mind, so the wizard was back to biting and scratching himself throughout the night.

Work had been hard for Remus to come across over the course of his adult life. Most of the magical community were bigots against werewolves. Even though Remus was good at disguising the signs, his employers always seemed to discover him out eventually. Six months ago his employer of three years, a wise but oblivious shopkeeper who dealt mostly in rare ancient artifacts, had discovered the truth. Remus had loved his job for those three years. His vast and useless knowledge was finally being put to use and he was even beginning to save up some money. Money that he desperately needed if he planned to convince the ministry to allow him to keep his Mia Bell after the end of the next school year.

Remus' job was going great; he was a hard worker who could help Mr. Leftwitch, the shop owner, with research and classification of new artifacts. The only time he ever called out sick were the few days a month his body was forced into agony. But Mr. Leftwitch never seemed to notice. For all of the book reading the man did he didn't often look at people, only the objects around him. This allowed Remus to slip by, giving him the opportunity to live a peaceful life of a real wizard once again. 

Of course that all fell apart when an old associate from his school days happened to wander in. Severus Snape had never hated Remus as much as he did James and Sirius, but being the only free Marauder left, Snape though it only right to treat Remus with fake affection and casually mention to Remus' boss how good it was of the man to employ a more diverse range of employees.

Remus had been all but forced to admit to his boss that he was a werewolf and was immediately fired on the spot. 

Finding a new job had been difficult. He could never use past jobs as references for they would just tell future prospects about his condition. It had taken five months for Remus to find a new job, and this one was in the muggle world. Over the years he had found this was usually a safe way for him to scrape together some cash. He would be teaching at Hogwarts come the end of summer, but Remus needed to pay rent before then so his new job was at a muggle library in London. His supervisor was convinced Remus was a drug addict, but Remus didn't care. Drug addict was more acceptable than werewolf.

Remus sighed again and took another sip of his tea and then rested his head on the table. It was just after noon. Usually after a rough transformation Remus was in bed for several days, but not this month. The semester at Hogwarts had just ended and Remus planned to confront Dumbledore to make sure he wasn't forced out of another year of not seeing his Mia Bell. The last year had been difficult, very difficult and depressing. Remus really needed some hope in his everyday life if he was going to make it in this world. He couldn't go on in this lonely rundown solitude life without his family.

Remus took a last big gulp of tea and prepared to stand up. He needed to take a shower and pull himself together before he took the floo to Hogwarts. He may run into Mia and he didn't want her to see him this disheveled. Remus made to stand up right as a large tawny owl flew into his kitchen through the open window. He looked down at the animal barely registering it as the exhaustion started to creep in stronger.

He reached down and pulled the scroll off of the bird's leg who promptly flew off. Remus cracked the seal and opened it up to reveal Dumbledore's familiar scrawl. The man read the letter through a few times to make sure he understood the message. Dumbledore was writing him to confirm his teaching position. He knew in light of the full moon that Remus wouldn't be up to their meeting but to rest assured knowing that he would be welcomed into the castle at the end of the summer as the DADA Professor.

Remus closed his eyes tight, relief flooding his senses. He had the job. He would be teaching his Mia in a few short months. 

This was everything he needed. Remus swayed on his feet, dizzy from a night of torment and pain. He quickly paced the few short steps across his small apartment and collapsed onto his bed, asleep in a moment with the letter clutched in his hand. He would sleep, and when he awoke he would truly celebrate his future and his hope. He just had to wait a few months longer. It was going to be a long summer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, poor Lupin <3


	62. A Long Broken Summer

Far away from any form of life or civilization sat an island in the middle of the English Channel. This island was masked from muggle technology and isolated from wizards with a blanket of fear and nightmares. On this rock of land stood a dreaded prison, home to the demon like guards and a slew of wizard criminals and murderers. Half way through the summer, Sirius Black lay on the hard cement of his cage eyes closed tight listening to the cries and howls that made up the life of his prison. Sirius rolled over onto his side, trying to even out the cramps in his back.

One of the black clad guards swept past the row of cells, sucking in a long rattling breath as it went. The broken man convulsed on the ground as another bit of his soul and his sanity were sucked away from him. 

The new prisoner several cells down from him started weeping as the dementor passed. That's how it always was with the new prisoners. When they first arrived there was always a lot of crying. New prisoners still had memories of joy or peace to cry over. Once the dementors took all of the good away, the prisoner would switch from crying to screaming in the night. Eventually the horrors would become too much and they would either lose all sense of themselves and become a silent husk, or they would finally be driven mad and embrace the horror.

After twelve long years he sometimes believed he didn't have anything left of his old self. In those moments when he felt close to finally walking away from his mind he would pull together all of his strength and become Padfoot. It was easier to be Padfoot. He didn't dwell on the death of his best friends, the loss of his daughter. 

Being a dog, Padfoot was able to shield his mind from the dementors. Padfoot was even able to slip through the bars of his cell sometimes and hunt around the prison for rats. Killing rats always made the man happy, gave him a sick sense of revenge. The Dog was able to find joy where the man was not, and it was these moments that allowed the man to keep his mind.

A high pitched laugh of a mad woman broke his focus. He listened closely to the deranged woman, hate building inside of him. Hate was one of the emotions he was allowed to keep inside of his prison. Hate was one of the things that helped him remember who he was. And the evil laugh of his cousin Bellatrix was one of the few things that truly brought hate to this man. His cousin, the woman who had killed his wife, lived in a cell on the opposite side of the prison, and Sirius was thankful for it. He didn't know if he could have stood being close enough to hear her taunts.

Sirius tried to focus his ears on another part of the castle. He could hear the sounds of shoes on cement. That had to mean someone from the ministry was here. Maybe an Auror come to interview an old convict. Or maybe it was time for the Minister's annual inspection. The Minister always brought an assistant with him for his inspections. Yes there it was, Sirius could hear a second set of shoes. The first set much lower than the second meaning that the first man was wearing very expensive shoes. Definitely the Minister of Magic. Sirius could tell the Minister was drawing closer to his cell. They would be walking down his section in a few minutes flanked by a dementor escort.

Sirius took a deep breath and sat himself up with shaky hands. He scooted back until he was leaning against the side of his cell. Taking another deep breath he crossed his legs in an aloof manner and ran his fingers through his ratty hair and beard taming it a bit. He cleared his throat and wiped the gunk off of his face with his dirty sleeve and lastly crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned back his head as if to show a man in a state of relaxed boredom.

The Minister and his assistant turned the corner and Sirius could see them making their way up the row of cells. Cornelius Fudge looked just the same as he had last year in his green pinstriped suit and bowler hat. He even had the same graying complexion from exposure to the dementors. But unlike last year, this time the minister had a newspaper folded up under his arm.

"Fuge! How good it is to see you again!" The Minister stopped short as Sirius called out to him.

"Ah prisoner Black, um yes." The Minister seemed to be rather unnerved by Sirius's warm greeting.

"Well I'm glad to see you are well and enjoying your summer! At least I think it's summer. Smells like summer. Never was very fond of the sun, I'm so fair skinned I burn so easily you see."

"Yes, it's quite a nice summer this year. Well I should get going, many more prisoners to see today." Fudge seemed ready to move on from the conversation the minute it started, but Sirius wasn't finished just yet.

"Oh yes of course, you are a very busy man after all. Well good day to you Minister." The Minister of Magic seemed off balance as he was dismissed from the prisoner's presence. Just as he took his first step away from him Sirius spoke again. "You wouldn't be finished with your paper would you minister? I miss doing the crossword."

"Oh why yes, of course." Fuge took his newspaper and slid it into the bars of the cell. Sirius Black reached over and took the paper and bowed his head to the minister in thanks as he opened the paper, clearly dismissing the powerful man.

The Minister and his assistant moved on from his cell, taking their dementor guard with them. Sirius stared reading over the paper, hungrily glancing at the headlines. The moment he saw that the main headline was about a family winning the lotto, Sirius knew this paper wasn't going to hold any big earth shaking news. Opening the paper he saw that Gringotts was getting ready to restore some of their more ancient tunnels, the wizamont was electing a new member after the passing of Wildrow Wosknoff who died at the age of 213. Sirius read his way through the paper several times. 

The exposure to the outside world filled Sirius with a sense of nostalgia. It wasn't a good feeling, an ache of longing and loneliness, but it made him remember more of himself, who he was, why he fought to stay sane. It had been twelve years since his best friend had been murdered. Twelve years since his cousin killed his wife. Twelve years since he left his baby girl in the arms of his other best friend and set off in search of the traitor who was responsible for his world falling apart.

It had taken two days, but he had tracked down the rat in a muggle town on the outskirts of London. Pettigrew had always been a lousy duller but Sirius hadn't expected him to blow himself up. He took out a dozen muggles with him, but Sirius was just at peace knowing Pettigrew was dead. Sirius had been convicted and locked away, far away from his daughter, but he was at peace knowing she was safe with Mooney, Harry was safe wherever Dumbledore had put him. Both of them were safe away at Hogwarts. Looking at the date on the paper he knew they would be going into their third year come fall.

Sirius wished he could see his daughter, his Mia Bell. Wished he could know what house she was in and if she looked like her mother. Sirius just wished for some connection he could make with his daughter from behind bars. Then he remembered something he had read. The youngest boy in the family of prize winners was preparing to enter his third year of Hogwarts. Sirius reopened the paper and looked down at the black and white photo of the large family. The young boy was standing in the front holding a fat rat. The sun was shining down onto his bright hair and he was smiling widely. Sirius wondered if this boy, Ron Weasley knew his daughter. Were they in the same house? Was he friends with Harry?

Sirius Black laid back down on the cold cement. He prepared for another chilly night, and as he rested his head down on his arms. He positioned the paper so that he would fall asleep while watching the happy family, wishing it could be him with his daughter, and Harry, and Mooney out in the Egyptian sun.

Sirius closed his eyes waiting for the darkness to claim his mind. Just as he was drifting off to sleep, his memories of the battle with Pettigrew flashed before his eyes and Sirius sat bolt upright, grabbing the paper. He peered down at the picture of the family and studied the rat in the boy's hand. 

It was him, he knew it. It had to be him. Sirius thought he had blown up, but he was wrong, this was the proof. All Pettigrew had left behind had been a finger, and this rat, he could see it. He was missing the same finger! He was alive! The sniveling rat! He had lived and escaped! Crawled to a well established wizarding family and waited. And now the rat was at Hogwarts! At Hogwarts with his Mia! How dare he! 

Rage filled Sirius and he knew in that moment he had to escape. Escape and find the rat, kill him and truly be free of his revenge. Sirius chuckled to himself as a new hatred began to seep into his heart. He lay back down and closed his eyes knowing nightmares would not be coming this night. He would have his revenge, he would kill the rat.  _ He's at Hogwarts _ , he thought over and over again.  _ He's at Hogwarts. _

Tomorrow he would turn into Padfoot and slip out of his cell. It would be easy to get past the guards and to the edge of the small island. Then he would swim. It would be a long swim but he knew he could do it, his desire to kill the rat keeping him afloat. Once on land it would be a long trek to Scotland, but he would make it. He would kill the rat for his revenge, for Harry, and he would see his daughter just once before they carted him back to Azkaban. They would surely give him the kiss for escaping, but it had to be done. He had to kill the rat, he had to protect his daughter. 

There was one thing Sirius knew for sure, and that was that it was going to be a long summer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor poor Sirius.


	63. Rescue

Five weeks into the summer holiday Mia was starting to get bored. Unlike last summer, Mia didn't have some difficult potion to brew so she spent most of her days in the forbidden forest or exploring the halls of the castle. She still had her weekly tea time with Professor McGonagall and her daily meals with the few staff members still in the castle. She even played chess with Professor Dumbledore a few summer evenings. He was a very skilled player but Mia didn't mind losing. She mostly enjoyed the stories he would tell of old teachers, pranks students would pull or funny situations involving his time in the Ministry Wizamont.

Even though Mia did enjoy all the time she got to spend with the teachers and her pack, what she was really longing for was when she would get to stay with Gabe and his parents for a few weeks. They had been exchanging letters over the summer, and Gabe seemed to be having fun with his brother in Wales. According to his letters he would be home in a week and his dad would come by Hogwarts to floo back with Mia. She was so excited. In the two years since she had first come to Hogwarts, the only night away she’d had was the night she spent with the Malfoy's, and that hadn't been a very enjoyable experience.

It was a few days before Gabe would return home from Wales and Mia was growing restless. She had already started packing up her things into her trunk, and she was finding it hard to enjoy being in the castle knowing that in a few days she would be in a real home in the countryside just south of London, enjoying her summer holidays like a normal kid. 

There was a tap at her dorm window and Mia quickly retrieved the morning paper and paid the delivery owl. She felt too antsy to read, so she threw the rolled up paper onto her bed unopened and pulled on her jumper and started her way down the castle towards the forest. She wasn't feeling particularly hungry and decided to skip breakfast. This was a common practice for her so she knew no one would miss her.

With the castle deserted she knew no one would pay her any mind walking on the school grounds as she often did. The fact that Mia disappeared for hours at a time wasn't ever mentioned since the staff knew she was responsible, wouldn't leave school grounds and enjoyed keeping to herself. Mia walked around the edge of the great lake, taking a moment to enjoy the sun before she entered the dark forest. The summer had been warm and bright, but the morning air was still crisp enough for Mia to wrap her arms tightly around herself as she stood in the morning sun’s rays.

After a moment Mia turned towards the forest, only a few yards away and began to wander towards the trees. All at once the sun seemed to disappear. Mia turned towards the sun to see a thick cloud cover rolling in around her. The crisp air was suddenly shockingly cold and began to nip and tear at her warmth. Mia looked around at the sudden change in climate and although her eyes were only met with a swiftly growing darkness, her spirit was met with a deep sense of dread. The bright promising day was ripped away and all Mia was left with was dark and cold. She could hear a deep rattling sound all around her approaching from every angle, the sound of someone, something trying to suck in more than air and she felt as though every bit of her joy was being ripped apart. No that wasn't it. What was joy? That thought was lost on her; joy had never existed in this world of dark and despair.

She could feel something pressing in on her side but couldn't see anything in the darkness and the fog. Mia pulled out her wand and muttered a desperate  _ Lumos _ . Suddenly her surroundings were lit, but she was no longer standing on the grass beside the lake. She was trapped, trapped in a circle of dark hooded figures. Fear rose up in her heart, fear like she had never felt in her life. The darkness was filled with these creatures. All around her were these monsters. Mia started to hear a weak voice of a woman calling out  _ no don't do it! _

One of the robed figures to her left suddenly broke the circle and glided past her to her right. As it passed, its rattling grew stronger and Mia felt dizzy. She fell to her knees as a second one broke rank and flew past her, sucking out more of her life. The woman's cries for mercy were clouded out by a crazed high pitched laugh of another woman. Mia began to fall back into the mist as the light of her wand began to fade and black hoods met with gnarled hands filled her vision. She began to hear more.

A crying plea for mercy,  _ please, not my daughter! _

A high-pitched laugh.  _ Sorry mudblood, but killing vermin like you is my job _ , more sick laughter.  _ Avada Kedavra _ , and a scream.

The scream was soon drowned out by the rattling and Mia felt herself being pulled away. Her vision blacked. Somewhere very far away she heard an angry yell of power and a strong voice ring out  _ Expecto Patronum! _

The next thing Mia knew she was lying in the sun. She could feel its warmth on her skin as she lay still with her eyes closed. She wanted to lay here forever with her eyes closed. Who wanted to open their eyes to a world so full of misery and pain where joy couldn't exist. She just wanted to lay there in the sun, lost to her depression forever.

But there was someone else fighting for her attention. "Miss Black, Miss Black can you hear me? Dear girl, open your eyes! Amelia Black!" Mia knew that voice. That was the voice of the Headmaster. Someone she respected, she had to listen to him. Slowly Mia opened up her right eye; the light was so stunning she had to squint hard to focus. In front of her face was a pair of blue eyes filled with anger and worry behind a pair of half moon glasses. Mia slowly opened up her other eye and forced her vision to clear. "That's a good girl. Try to sit up; you’ve had quite an episode."

Mia found her hands beside her and pushed back against the grass propping herself up. The grass was slightly damp with morning dew drying in the mid summer sun. Mia looked up towards the sun and closed her eyes soaking up the warmth. It must have been a dream. As long as the sun was above her there was no way that world of despair existed. But she could still feel it. Her heart felt trapped in that mist and darkness. "Professor…"

"Miss Black you are quite safe now. Can you tell me what happened?" As he spoke someone outside of Mia's field of vision was breaking something with several loud cracks. "Ah, yes Chocolate, Thank you Severus. Miss Black please eat this." Professor Dumbledore handed Mia several large chunks of Chocolate and urged her to eat. Mia took a small bite and as she chewed, warmth began to exist inside of her again. She took another bite and tried to explain what happened.

"I was… I was walking across the grounds and all of a sudden it got dark and cold. I lit my wand and saw all of those…things… around me. It was like they were stealing my hope, my happiness. It was so cold. Then I heard a woman. Two women. One of them was crying and the other was laughing. The first was pleading for her life, but the second woman. I think she killed her. It was horrible."

Mia stopped. She couldn't continue. A tear fell out of her eye and she didn't know why she felt such sadness for this woman. She didn't dare look Professor Dumbledore in the face; she felt shame over her tears. 

The second person on the grass, Professor Snape spoke."Why were they here Dumbledore? There must have been over a hundred of them. It doesn't make any sense why they would attack her." Mia looked up at her potions teacher's face. Snape seemed a bit paler than usual, and he seemed very out of place kneeling in the grass beside the lake, the sun shining on his black robes as he held a broken bar of chocolate. He noticed Mia looking at him and scowled. "Eat your Chocolate Miss Black." But his words didn't have their usual venom. When he said her last name it didn't sound like a curse word like he usually spoke it.

Mia took another bite and wiped her tears away. As more warmth flooded her body she ate faster, wishing to bring her joy back through the sweets. Professor Dumbledore slowly stood to his feet stretching just like an old man who had been sitting in the grass. "I must contact the Minister at once. Severus, can you please see to it that Miss Amelia makes it to the hospital wing?" Snape stood swiftly but did not protest as Dumbledore quickly disappeared back to the castle.

Mia looked up to see the dark Professor standing a foot away from her glaring up at the old professor as he half ran up to the castle. Not wanting to be a burden she quickly shoved the last piece of chocolate into her mouth and made to stand up. As soon as she was on her feet she regretted it. The world seemed to swim before her. She tried to take a step to steady herself but the grass seemed to swivel away and she missed her step. Just as she began to fall over, two strong arms seemed to come out of nowhere and scoop her up. Mia blinked and looked into the concerned eyes of the most hated teacher in the school.

"I'm sorry Professor; I think I can walk this time." Mia felt awkward being this close to an adult. She had never been so much as hugged by an adult before Professor McGonagall and now Snape carried her like a father carrying his daughter after she fell out of a tree.

"Nonsense; I wish to return to the castle sometime this week and I doubt you will be able to manage that quickly on your own feet." Mia felt his stinging words and closed her eyes in shame turning her face into his robes. Mia felt his arms tighten around her as he began to make his way up to the castle. "I did not mean that to shame you Miss Black. Not many grown wizards have ever faced so many Dementors before and managed to keep themselves. I am surprised you were able to stand on your own at all, so soon after waking."

They entered into silence as they walked across the field. But something Snape had said drew Mia to speak. She kept her eyes closed hoping he would share the information purely out of an educational need, knowing he would never share simply because a student wished it. 

"Dementor? What were those things?"

The professor sighed as he paced himself up the hill, carrying a heavier load than he was used to. "Surely you have heard of the guards of Azkaban?" Mia knew about the jail where her father was kept and Snape knew this. She had heard mention of the terrible guards, but could never have imagined what they really were. "The Dementors of Azkaban are a treacherous race. They feed off of human emotion. Joy, happiness, these are their favorites, but once they are gone the Dementors are quite satisfied with fear and despair. They use a form of occlumency to force a person to relive their worst memories, their greatest pain, and they feast off of it. If they feast too long, or too deliberately they have the ability to suck out a person's very being, leaving an empty husk of a man."

Mia shivered. She had felt this first hand, and honestly she couldn't imagine any worse fate. "Why were they here?"

They were climbing the last stair cast towards the hospital wing as Professor Snape huffed up the steps. "You know very well I do not know that answer as I myself asked the Headmaster. I am sure as soon as the Professor finds out and deems it appropriate to tell you, you will know."

They entered the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey was on them in a moment. Snape ignored her flustering and set Mia down on a cot. Madam Pomfrey immediately started shoving chocolate at the girl and waving her wand over her. "Thank you for bringing the girl to me so swiftly Professor, I hope it wasn't too much of a bother."

Professor Snape made his way to the door. "Not at all, Miss Black is rather light; I fear she may be under nourished for a girl her age." And with that he was gone. 

Mia was in too much shock to even thank him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little Snape fluff for you, what do you think?


	64. A Long Bleak Summer

Mia spent the next few hours in the hospital wing. After eating several more chunks of chocolate she was feeling completely back to her old self, but Madam Pomfrey insisted Mia stay while she poked and prodded her. Finally, Professor Dumbledore reappeared and asked Madam Pomfrey to excuse them.

Professor Dumbledore approached her cot and sat down in a chair next to her looking as though he had been having a long day. "And how are you feeling Miss Black?"

"I'm feeling perfectly fine, really I am. I don't think I need any more chocolate!"

Professor Dumbledore chuckled and picked up a small piece of chocolate. "Yes well I believe Madam Pomfrey is just concerned about your health. I have not seen a swarm of Dementors that size outside of Azkaban in many years."

"Professor?" Mia looked down, unable to meet the old wizard's eyes. "Why did they attack me like that?" Mia was curious, but she feared the answer.

Professor Dumbledore seemed to hesitate in telling her which made her nervous. Finally he stretched out his long legs and spoke. "How much do you know about the Dementors?"

"Only that they are the guards of the prison where my father is locked up. And also that they are terrible and I never wish to encounter one again."

Professor Dumbledore chuckled at this. "I believe many of us who have encountered them wish the same, although I don't believe we will be so lucky."

The old man looked troubled by his words. "Professor?"

He looked up at Mia as if pained by what he had to say. "My dear Amelia, I am afraid I have some very troubling news. Never before has anyone ever escaped from Azkaban prison, never before now. I am afraid Serious Black, your father, escaped from Azkaban a few days ago."

Mia's stomach dropped and she felt sick. It couldn't be! Azkaban was supposed to be impenetrable, and now she was to find out someone had escaped, and that someone was her father? Out of all the things racing through Mia's head, anger, fear, shock, she was surprised to also find hope to be among them. 

There was a part of her, a very small part that hoped her father would find her. Maybe she would get that chance she never believed for, to speak to him and to ask him why. Why had he left her? Why had he committed a crime that would have forced him locked up, away from his daughter? Why wasn't his love for her strong enough to keep him innocent?

Suddenly Mia realized that Professor Dumbledore was speaking again. "It stands to reason that Sirius Black will attempt to return to Hogwarts. That is why we believe the Dementors sought you out, to see if you were hiding him, the foolish creatures. I have been discussing this matter with the Minister, and much to my complete opposition, he has decided that he will be posting Dementors at the school entrance."

"They don't think he will try to find me do they?" There was both hope and fear in her voice.

Dumbledore responded as if he knew more of her emotions than she was trying to express. "Miss Amelia, a father's love is a powerful thing. It truly is. And I am sorry that you have been unable to experience this all of your life. But you must understand, your father is gone. Azkaban drives most men insane in the first year and he has been there for twelve. Your father is dead and now I am afraid you must be haunted by his memory. There is always a possibility he will try to find you, and that is why you must not seek him out, or go looking for him. There is no telling what a man lost to reality may do. Do you understand?"

There was kindness in his eyes, but Mia couldn't meet them, she only felt shame. She nodded to the professor. "I am sorry my dear that this has fallen on you. It is not an easy thing to deal with. If you have any need or want to talk, you know my door is always open. Professor McGonagall I'm sure extends the same regard. I am sure as soon as she is back from visiting her relatives she would be most welcome to talk." Professor Dumbledore paused and sighed as if wishing he had nothing else to say. "And unfortunately I also have some more bad news. I know you were hoping to visit friends over the holidays, but in light of recent events I believe it would be too risky. I'm sorry Amelia, but you will need to stay here for the remainder of the holiday, and preferably indoors. I know you enjoy wandering the grounds, but with the Dementors patrolling, that may not be the wisest of choices. I can see this subject is weighing you down but no worries, I am sure Sirius Black will be captured in no time."

Mia somehow doubted that someone who was smart enough to do what no one had ever done before and escape from Azkaban would be stupid enough to get caught quickly, but she didn't argue with the Professor as he was clearly trying to give her some hope. The despair she had felt earlier from the Dementors was beginning to return. She feared she would never truly get a chance to be normal and happy.

Professor Dumbledore turned and found Madam Pomfrey. "Poppy? I do think this child is looking better, how about allowing her back to her room now to rest up?" Professor Dumbledore winked at Mia as he spoke.

"Oh all right, but if you start feeling weak again, please don't hesitate to come back!" Mia agreed and was allowed to leave the hospital wing, with only three bars of chocolate just in case. She wandered the castle for a while and finally feeling completely alone she decided to return to her room and write Gabe, telling him she wouldn't be able to make it out. She wondered how much she should tell him. Gabe had never judged her for her past before but how would he feel knowing his close friends murderer father was on the loose?

Mia entered her common room and fell back onto her bed. Something hard poked her in the back and she reached around and pulled out her unopened copy of the Daily Prophet. Mia unrolled the paper to read the headlines. Maybe the world's problems would be worse than hers. As her eyes landed on the page she froze. The headline read:

SIRIUS BLACK ESCAPED FROM AZKABAN 

Just below the title was a moving photograph of the man himself. Mia had many pictures of her father in his school days and even from the few years after, but this man looked ragged. His face was sunken in and his hair was matted and unwashed. He looked like a skeleton with skin stretched across it. His grey eyes looked dead and hopeless. It made sense now. Mia understood why Professor Dumbledore said her father was dead. The man who existed in her old photo album was not the man looking out of the paper at her. This man may have the same memories as him, but he was a broken and half dead version of himself.

Mia threw the paper against the far wall of the dorm and rolled onto her stomach. She reached under her bed and pulled out some parchment and a quill to write Gabe:

_ Gabe, _

_ I hope your summer is still going great! Do any more fun experiments with your brother? Try not to lose any limbs before you return to school; the Ravenclaw quidditch team is bad enough as it is. If they lost you they would have no hope at all! _

_ So anyway, have you seen the daily prophet lately? Apparently my father escaped from Azkaban Prison a few days ago. I found out this morning on a walk around the grounds when I was attacked by about 50 Dementors. It was fun. They make everything go cold and seem to suck the joy and life right out of you. I thought I was going to die or something, but as luck would have it Professor Dumbledore and Snape rescued me. So there, now you can't totally hate Snape, he did save my life. _

_ Anyway, I wouldn't have bothered you with this, only Professor Dumbledore said with my crazed father on the loose I'm not allowed to leave the castle. So feel free to extend your time with your brother, at least one of us should have fun this summer! _

_ -Mia _

_ P.S. Have you finished your summer school work yet? I finished mine weeks ago. If you want to borrow my Potions notes just let me know. I've been so bored I wrote them out like three times. _

Mia took her letter up to the owlery and sent it off. Then she promptly curled up in the sun of the owlery and fell asleep exhausted from the day's events. The owls hooted softly around her as the day fell into twilight and they rose for a night of hunting. Early the next morning Mia was awoken by a tawny owl sitting on her lap with a letter.

"Good morning Keladry, back with a letter for me already?" Keladry was Gabe's brother's owl. As they had been writing all summer Mia had gotten to know the owl very well.

_ "Oh yes WichPup".  _ Keladry fluffed her wings as if excited about her news.  _ "As soon as that riffraff owl you sent arrived with the letter GabeBoy immediately started on a response. He even paused his work on the steaming water to write it!" _

"Keladry! Just because the school owls aren't as well loved as you are doesn't mean they are riffraff! They are my friends too." Mia loved this owl, but she was a little stuck up. She always insisted that if Mia was going to write a response that she wait for it so Mia didn't have to send a  _ lesser  _ owl. "Now tell me what you mean when you say he’s working with steaming water?"

_ "Well it's not really water is it? It's just one of those things that Wizards do, not that I understand anything Wizards do!" _

This statement was definitely false. Keladry was a very sharp owl, and like most owls she loved to gossip. Wizards thought owls just carried letters, but if they could ever talk to one, they would realize that letters were the least of the information they carried. If you teach an owl to understand humans so it can send letters, do you really expect it not to listen when you say other things? "You're saying he's working on a potion? A black caldron filled with liquid that he has to add ingredients to?"

_ "Yes a potion". _ Keladry lifted her wings in a bird shrugas if to say wizard words were lame. " _ He's been working on it since he arrived. Up at all hours of the night just like an owl. Alec even helps him with it when there's a very complex part." _

Mia thought about this for a moment. So Gabe was spending the summer brewing a potion and he hadn't told Mia about it. She wondered what it could be. Was this the reason he’d gone to his brother's house? His brother Alec was a very bright Wizard. He worked for a research firm in Wales curing incurable curses and diseases. He was also a skilled potions worker. Maybe Gabe was just trying to make a potion on his own to show Mia when he got back. Mia was intrigued but decided to wait and let him tell her when he was ready.

_ "Do you want me to wait for the reply to insure its delivery?" _

Mia thought for a moment. "No, I have a feeling I'm going to have to think about my return letter for a bit. Have a good flight back though, and thank you." Keladry flew off in a moment and Mia opened the letter from Gabe and read:

_ WHAT? DETAILS! I don't understand! Why would Dementors come after you? It's not like you were hiding Black or anything. And even if you did, it's only been a few days; it's going to take him awhile to even get to Scotland! I can't believe Dumbledore is banning you! What if me and Alec came and broke you out? We could do it; he's great at sneaking about. _

_ Bloody Hell! I can't believe you were attacked! My brother told me all about Dementors. One time he had to go to Azkaban to get some information from a convict for a case he was working on and he said it was horrible. He said he was sick for like two days after. How are you feeling? What did it feel like? And don't just push off my questions; I really want to know how you are. I'm sorry you can't leave the castle. Maybe I will just have to send you your birthday present early. Actually no, I shouldn't have said that, I'm nowhere close to finished with it yet! Forget that. Well, is there anything I can send you? Candy? Potions books? I'm sure you've read through the whole library already. You know what, I think I know what I will send you. But you will just have to wait and see! _

_ So Snape really rescued you? I bet Dumbledore did all the work and he was just there to tell you not to die too swiftly. That would be much less enjoyable for him. Trust me Mia, it's going to take a lot to convince me Snape doesn't have evil ulterior motives to every good thing he does. _

_ Hang in there Mia, the summer is half over and then we get to take our new classes! How excited are you for Arithmancy and Ancient Runes? _

_ -Gabe _

_ P.S. Even if I did lose both my arms, I have no doubt I would still be able to get the quaffle past that excuse for a Keeper you Gryffindors let run your house team! _

_ P.P.S. I haven't even started my summer work yet. Any notes you send me would be greatly appreciated. But send your Potions work for sure! _

_ P.P.P.S. Really, how are you? _

Mia folded up the letter and left the owlery. She had a very decided task list for her morning. Shower, breakfast, respond to Gabe's Letter, and avoid all teachers at all cost. As Mia got ready for her day, the only thing she knew for certain was that it was going to be a long summer.


	65. A Long Calculated Summer

Several hundred miles away, Gabe was in his brother's attic stirring a cauldron. He’d decided when he first found the instructions for the animagus potion that he wasn't going to make it. Making the potion would just make him want to take it and actually attempt to become an animagus, and that was dangerous. He wasn't scared that he might die, he just didn't think the benefits outweighed the possible side effects. Plus he wasn't even the best potion maker so he probably would mess it up anyway. A simple well thought out choice, but then as he studied more and more of the potion and took notes on the tips and explanations Mia told him, he started to realize he really could make this potion. His fear of brewing the potion was quickly won out by the fascination of it. He’d originally told his brother he was just working on an extra credit project, but Alec hadn't been fooled. He knew advanced potion making when he saw it. He’d just figured it was a love potion or something else his little brother was embarrassed by and didn't want his parents knowing about. So he’d given Gabe his privacy and helped him when he asked for it. It was four weeks before Alec noticed that the potion required both saltpertr and ptolemy. These were two ingredients that when combined were only ever used in potions that drastically changed something about your physical makeup. This was not something he wanted his little brother playing with.

Alec had confronted Gabe, and Gabe told him that it was just a bet. One of his classmates had made the potion last year and now he was trying to show her up, he didn't have any intention of using it. His brother had agreed to let him continue as long as Gabe told him what the potion was for. Gabe told him it was the Animagus potion and Alec almost lost it. He was so angry that his brother would do something so dangerous and reckless and illegal that he almost threw the potion out the window. Fortunately, Alec had always had a more reckless side to him and he was kind of impressed that his baby brother was attempting such a difficult potion. In the end he allowed Gabe to continue with the potion, as long as he promised never to use it.

Gabe had promised. It was an easy thing to promise since he had never planned on using it in the first place. He just wanted to see if he could make it. How stupid would he have to be to use a potion that killed most of its takers?

Gabe continued to stir his cauldron, counting as he went. 342 clockwise and 283 counter clockwise. Now he just had to let it rest for another 18 hours. He was so close to being finished, just a few days away. His original plan was to make the potion, then show it to Mia when she came to visit. He wanted to know if Mia had ever made the potion before, he wanted to know if she had used it, and since she wasn't dead he wanted to know if she was an animagus. He had wanted to ask Mia this for ages but he knew Mia was a very private person and she didn't trust easy. He knew that to ask her, he needed a secret of his own. If he presented her with a finished potion she would tell him the truth. 'No I haven't made it, I can't believe you did! That's amazing!' or 'Yes I made it, but I couldn't get up the nerve to take it, maybe we could do it together!' Gabe shook his head. That was foolish thinking. What did he really think would come of this? And now Mia wouldn't even be coming to visit him at his parents' house! He had timed it perfectly so he would be done with his potion before he had to return.

Gabe stirred his last few rounds and decided to take a shower. His brother lived in a small wizarding community and there were several shops in the town square. After his shower he grabbed his summer spending money and set off. He went to the potions shop and found an old book filled with odd potion recipes, like ones to make a person smile all the time, or to make their hair grow faster. The book was called 98 Outdated Potions. Apparently these were all potions that people had invented charms and spells to complete the same task, making the difficult brewing of a potion obsolete. Gabe picked out a few of the potions and bought all of the potions ingredients needed to make them. Then he headed over to the candy shop and bought a pound of Pumpkin Pastes. Lastly he headed over to the local owlery and packed it all up. He wrote a quick note telling Mia witch Potions he had bought ingredients for and that the only rule was she wasn't allowed to prank him with anything she made. 

He had to hire two owls to take the heavy package but it was worth it. He knew his friend would appreciate the gift. She had tried to be upbeat and funny in her letter, but Gabe knew the truth. She was upset. 

He felt so bad that she wasn't going to be able to leave the castle, and even worse now her father had escaped from Azkaban and was on the loose. As soon as the rest of the school found out that Mia's insane murderous father was free, they would be just as terrified of her as they were when they thought she was the heir of Slytherin. Gabe just couldn't believe Mia's luck. She was the sweetest, kindest, smartest, funniest, prettiest girl in the whole school. Gabe stopped walking for a moment, Mia was his friend. She just needed a friend right now and he didn't understand why every time he thought about her, his mind would start to wander to her eyes... Gabe needed to stay focused.

After wandering around the market for a little while, Gabe finally decided to go home and get some rest before he had to do the next complex step of his potion. He also needed to do some more research into the charms required for Mia's birthday present. Goodness he had a lot of work to get done, and as Mia had reminded him, he hadn't even started on his summer homework yet. It would be a long summer.


	66. Under a wing

The last few weeks of summer went by very slowly at first for Mia. When Gabe's package full of potion ingredients arrived Mia was unbelievably thankful for it. She spent two weeks brewing the potions that she had ingredients for. 

She changed one of the potions that was supposed to make your hair grow super fast and made it to focus only on the hair on the upper lip producing a full mustache in under three seconds. Mia packaged the potion into two candies and sent them to Fred and George with a note reading  _ let me know if you can think up any charms to change the style. _ She didn't want to tell them what the candies would do when they ate them, she wanted to see if they would actually eat a random sweet that was sent to them in the mail, but she also wanted to see if they could think up any charms that when added to the sweet could produce different styles of mustaches.

Mia was out of potion ingredients and she still had a month of summer to go with nothing to do. So at lunchtime Mia went to Professor McGonagall as she was chatting with Professor Sprout to see if she would be willing to take Mia for a shopping trip. "Professor? I know I'm not allowed to leave the castle, but I still need to get my school books."

"Ah yes Amelia, I went out this morning and got your books and supplies that you will need for next year. If you come by my office tonight at tea time I can give them to you."

Mia's face fell as she realized there was no chance of her breaking free of the castle. Professor Snape chose that moment to come and sit at the table for his lunch. "Thank you Professor, I really appreciate it." Mia made to leave then stopped. "Did you by chance just order the required potion ingredients or did you get any extra?"

Professor McGonagall smiled warmly at Mia. "If you would like to go retrieve the bags now, the password to my office is catnip." Mia smiled and scampered off to McGonagall's office. The professor just shook her head at the young girl as she ran off. "That girl and her love of potions." She elbowed Snape in the ribs. "What are you going to do about it?"

Mia retrieved her bags from her teacher's office and was happy to see a load of potion ingredients piled into one of the bags. Mia started on her way up to the Gryffindor tower thinking about what she could brew next. As she turned the corner onto the third floor landing she came face to face with Professor Snape. 

"Professor, good afternoon." She stepped around her professor and passed him as she walked down the hallway. Over the summer holidays Snape usually kept to himself, spending a week or two away, then coming out of his dungeon only for the occasional meal, but Mia never saw him anywhere else.

She walked away from the professor but froze when he spoke out. "Miss Black, do you plan on brewing little tongue and cheek potions for the rest of your life or do you have any interest in real potions work?"

Mia didn't know what to say, hell yeah? of course? "Um, yes Professor, I do."

"Well then, follow me." Professor Snape took off at a fast walk up the castle. Mia followed after him jogging a little to keep up, but the heavy bags were making it difficult. Mia focused all her attention on following the professor up the stair cases and was so relieved when the professor stopped that it took her a moment to realize where they were. Mia looked up as Madam Pomfrey walked past. 

"Severus? What can I help you with?" She spotted Mia. "Not another dementor attack?"

"Poppy, I was hoping your potions lab was available for use."

Madam Pomfrey let out a snort. "You know I haven't used that lab in ages. Not since you took over full responsibility for stocking my potions cabinet."

Professor Snape nodded. "I am expecting some extra potion orders from St. Mungo's this season so I have recruited Miss Black to help with some of the schools potion stock." Mia was surprised by Professor Snape's words. He wanted her help? The dark teacher led Mia over to a door off to the side of the room. He opened the door to a small sanitary room with rows of shelves filled with potion ingredients and supplies. There was a high table set up on one of the walls catty corner to a steel sink. Professor Snape walked over to one of the shelves and pulled down a thick and dusty leather bound book. He flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for, then he set down the open book on the table. "Pepper Up Potion. We will need five dozen doses ready for the first term. When you finish the first batch bring a sample to my office so I can check your quality." He walked back to the shelf that held potion ingredients and looked them over. "Some of these ingredients have expired. When you have time, go through and sort the stock. You should have enough for the Pepper Up, but give a list of what is running low to Madam Pomfrey to order."

Professor Snape walked to the door clearly finished with his instructions. Then he paused. "Does that sound reasonable Miss Black?"

"Yes sir," Mia said while trying to hold back a smile. The Professor left and Mia looked around herself with excitement. She couldn't believe the opportunity she was getting. Finally she would be getting the opportunity to brew potions that would really help people. Maybe if she did an excellent job with the Pepper Up she would get to work on even harder potions. Mia knew the Pepper Up was a pretty basic in relative terms to most medical potions. It was something no one under a fifth year would be expected to be able to brew. Compared to the animagus potion it was very simple.

Mia walked over to the table and looked at the book. The one thing she did notice about the potion recipes in this book compared to her school books was that it was proportioned to produce large batches. A potion of this quantity required a much larger cauldron than she had ever used before. Mia looked around the room and spotted a large cabinet in one corner that held different size cauldrons. There was a huge black cauldron in the very bottom that came up to Mia's thigh. She found a large burner on a top shelf and set it up, then she levitated the cauldron onto the burner.

Mia looked back at the directions and started pulling ingredients off the shelf. She sniffed the mistletoe berries. Professor Snape was right, many of these ingredients would need to be thrown out. Mia made a mental note to bring back some parchment to take notes with when she got to the stage of the potion that needed to stew for twelve hours. Mia got to work on the schools potions stalk, thoughts of inappropriate child labor never once crossing her mind.

* * *

Snape left the hospital wing feeling smug about himself. The girl was lonely being locked up in the castle, Minerva had made that clear enough to him at lunch, and a part of Severus understood what she was going through. He had grown up having a father that was rather less than satisfactory and Severus knew all too well that Amelia Black's father had been a horrible excuse for a human long before he had ever killed any muggles. When the girl had first shown up at the school, he had treated her with the same disdain and disgust he reserved for the Potter boy. Both of them had fathers he couldn't stand so it made sense. But over the last few years it became clear that Potter truly was just as prideful, arrogant, and dimwitted as his father. Black on the other hand was different from her father. She actually had a mind for potions and acted more respectful to him and her teachers than he would ever expect from a Black. She still seemed to have an appetite for pranks like her father had, but she seemed to only use them on her friends in good conscience. Not to mention her prank on the excuse of a teacher Lockhart. That had almost made him feel a small affection for the girl, but no, Severus would never allow himself to feel anything less than a light despise for the daughter of Sirius Black.

Severus had been at a loss as to what to do with this student after seeing her intelligence and desire to learn when she brought the potion she had created to him for help, so he had decided to settle on ignoring her. But after Minerva had prodded him so uncomfortably over his lunch, Severus had come up with a much better plan of action. He would teach the girl, and help her become a great potions maker 'taking her under his wing' as Minerva had suggested. 

Severus winced to himself at the thought. It sounded uncomfortable. But in the end knowing that he was teaching the daughter of his worst enemy, and being there for the girl when her own father couldn't? Well if Sirius Black ever found out it would be a new horror he could dwell on as the dementors haunted him. To think that the girl would look to him for guidance and look to her own father with fear or disgust, it put a smile on his face and gave Severus an excuse to allow himself to help girl.

* * *

Over the next week Mia was overjoyed as she brewed potions. Professor Snape had told her that her Pepper Up potion was adequate and had let her go on to brewing Skellow Grow and even a Strengthening potion. The Strengthening potion was a much more volatile potion so Professor Snape had monitored her closely and often questioned her on why she would do one thing and not another. "Why, if it is a commonly known trick to crush a sopophorous bean instead of cutting it to release its juice, did you struggle with cutting the bean and not just simply crush the bean for this potion?"

Mia knew he knew the answer so she responded as if answering a question in class. "When crushing the sopophorous bean trace amounts of the acidic skin are released into the juice. Cutting the bean, although extremely difficult, does not have this effect. Crushing the bean is usually just fine for most potions but because the Strengthening potion also calls for a runespoor egg, these two ingredients would have an explosive reaction. And that is why it is always wise to read through a potions ingredients list completely before attempting to stray from the exact directions even slightly." 

Snape never praised her for her work or her correct answers. He only reprimanded her strongly or blatantly insult her intelligence when she made the slightest mistake. But Mia didn't care. She knew that his silence was all the affirmation she needed, and the label of adequate was a shining praise. She was thankful when he corrected her because it meant she was learning to be better. He never bothered teaching the students in his class who he thought were hopeless, and in class the only times Mia ever made mistakes was when Neville messed up their group potions.

Friday morning Mia awoke to an owl tapping at her window. Mia's eyes sprang open and she raced to the window flinging it open as she noticed not one, but two owls waiting for her. The first owl was just delivering her Daily Prophet, but the second owl was a beautiful tawny with a small box in brown wrapping. Mia asked the bird who the box was from but was told by the very snobby owl that she was simply a delivery owl and could not be bothered with silly questions. Then she promptly flew out the window. 

Mia took her birthday present back to her bed and sat down. Mia's heart raced as she slowly opened the package. This wasn't from Gabe and Hermione usually didn't send Mia birthday presents, so she knew deep down that this was from RJL. Mia unwrapped the small box and slowly took off the lid. Inside was the most beautiful pendant Mia had ever seen. It was a very fine and delicate silver pendant in the shape of a silver wolf. The wolf was sitting up as if howling at a moon in the form of a small blue jewel. There was a small scrap of parchment under the necklace that read  _ Happy birthday my dear Mia Bell - Love RJL _ . 

Mia was filled with joy at the note. She wondered once again who RJL was and if she would ever get to meet them. Did they know her father had escaped and that she was now a prisoner in the castle? Mia didn't care anymore, the only thing that mattered was that today was her thirteenth birthday and RJL still cared enough to send her a present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think of Snape's new shift?


	67. Bad Idea

Mia spent the morning wandering the castle lost in thought, then after a quick lunch with Professor McGonagall who presented her with a small pumpkin birthday cake, Mia made her way up to the hospital wing to work on the next potion on her list Snape had given her. Mia entered the small lab after waving a good morning to Madam Pomfrey and started dragging out her needed potion ingredients. 

Mia jumped when Professor Snape entered the room. "Taking an easy morning are you? Need I remind you that a Bruise Removal paste can be ruined quite easily if your full attention is not given to it during the cooling phase."

Mia nodded, "Yes Professor, I will be careful." Mia was trying to assure the professor, but she was just so happy with it being her birthday and that she was wearing the most beautiful necklace in the whole world, she couldn't help but smile wide while she addressed Snape.

Snape didn't seem too confident in Mia's ability to focus. "Please do tell what you find so amusing Miss Black, and please remember that my time is precious. I could have easily completed this paste myself in the time it has taken you to pull out that cauldron grinning away like an idiot."

Mia tried to adopt a serious face as she responded. "I apologize Professor. I don't find anything amusing, I am simply in a good mood today, but I promise not to let my joy affect my potion making." Mia gave the professor the most business like face she could muster to hide her sarcasm.

Snape seemed set on breaking Mia's spirit that morning. "So they must have caught your father then? I hadn't heard, but that must be what has made you so happy. Do tell, did they administer the dementor's kiss immediately or are they planning on waiting to make it a holiday?"

Mia's face fell at her teacher's words. She had read what a dementor's kiss really did and couldn't believe anyone would ever be deserving of such a fate. She knew Snape had hated her since their first class together, and Mia had puzzled it had something to do with her father, but she had thought she had earned some place of respect as his student over the last two years. 

Mia just couldn't believe her teacher could say something so cruel to her about her father. Mia knew Sirius Black was a horrible person, but didn't people understand that Mia was half of him? When they spoke bad of him Mia couldn't help but feel those insults were meant for her as well.

Snape grew silent as he realized the effect his words seemed to have on his usually thick skinned student. Mia started to leave the room but was quickly blocked by Madam Pomfrey who entered carrying a package. 

"Oh Miss Black! A package has come for you. I didn't know it was your birthday, happy birthday dear!" Mia took the package and saw that it was clearly from Gabe. The oddly book shaped present was wrapped in white paper with the words 'Happy Birthday!' scrawled over the paper over and over again in every color imaginable.

Mia took the package and looked up at Professor Snape with anger flashing icy through her eyes. "Excuse me professor, but I am afraid I am not quite focused enough for potions work today." And with that Mia left the hospital wing and headed up to her dorm leaving a slightly guilty feeling Snape behind.

Mia lay on her bed and tried to push thoughts of her teacher out of her head.  _ Today is your birthday, be happy. _ Mia looked down at the pendant around her neck and she remembered the people in the world who cared for her as comfort filled her heart. 

Finally feeling calm again Mia tore into her present from Gabe and held the thick leather bound book in her hands. She tried to open the book but the pages seemed stuck together, then she noticed a scrap of parchment that had fallen out. 

_ Place your hand on the cover for a moment so you can imprint on the charms - Gabe. _

Mia did as the note said and placed her right hand on the cover of the book. Mia had heard about charms that a person could imprint on to, making it so that only the person recognized by the spell on the object could use it, but this spell work was extremely advanced. Mia felt a slight tingling in her hand where she touched the book so she lifted her hand. She tried the pages again and the book easily opened to her touch.

She opened to the first page and saw Gabes neat scrawl on the front page:

_ Mia? If you are reading this, take out a quill and write something under my words here, then wait a moment. Trust me. _

Mia was a bit confused but decided to do it anyways. She grabbed her quill and ink and wrote in big letters under Gabe's writing.

_ Something. _

Then Mia waited. But nothing happened. She sighed and thought maybe this was a joke on Gabe's part. But then, just as she was about to close the book she saw movement under her writing and words began to write across the page right before her eyes.

_ Ha ha very funny. I didn't mean to literally write 'Something.' So what do you think of your present? _

Mia was confused, this was Gabe's handwriting, but was it a curse like the diary Ron's little sister had fallen for last year? Hermione had told Mia all about it, and she in turn had told Gabe. The writing had paused as if waiting for her but then it started back up again.

_ Mia, all you have to do to respond is write under my words and whatever you write I will be able to see in my book. _

This made sense to Mia so she tried it, dipping her quill back into the ink.

_ So you aren't the evil spirit of You-know-Who? _

Mia paused and Gabe started writing almost instantly.

_ Hahahahahaha Oh my gosh Mia! Bloody Hell of course it's me! Don't run off to get any basilisk fangs on me! Though I will admit, I actually came up with the idea after what happened last year with that Diary, But don't worry, I'm not an evil being stuck in a book. I'm just Gabe, sitting here in my living room eating my mom's chocolate chip cookies and writing in a book! _

Mia knew this probably wasn't an evil book but she just had to check.

_ Prove it. _

_ Prove what? _

_ Prove you are Gabe. _

There was a long pause.

_ Your favorite sweet are Pumpkin Pasties. _

_ Really? That's the best convincing you can do? _

There was another long pause.

_ Last year I followed you into the Forbidden Forest where you go sometimes to talk to the wolves who have sort of adopted you. Then I was attacked by a huge pack of ferocious wolves, but luckily I was saved by a beautiful white tiger that came out of nowhere to protect me from the wolves. _

This convinced Mia, no one else could have known this.

_ For the last time, they were NOT attacking you! They were just playing a game. Honestly, if I am ever allowed outside of this castle ever again I will have to introduce you to them. _

_ So you believe it's really me then? _

_ I guess I do. For now at least. Now tell me how you made this? _

Mia couldn't believe the amount of work Gabe had put into her present. He had gotten one book and had performed a sort of super complex splitting spell on it to make two. That way the two new books were connected to each other by essence so that when one book was written in it was as if both were written in. This way they could transfer messages back and forth from any distance. The charm that Mia had imprinted on made it so that no one would be able to open the book other than her. He also built in a charm that made it so that if there was a new message written, the book would humm very quietly until it was opened. Gabe had even gotten special permission from Professor Flitwick to perform the spell work. Gabe hoped to show him the books once term started in the hopes of getting extra credit.

Mia loved the present and it made her feel less lonely. They stayed up late writing back and forth through the evening. Mia told Gabe all about her potion work with Snape, but she didn't tell him about the cruel words he had said to her earlier. Gabe had enough reasons to hate Snape, and Mia knew the teacher wasn't all bad. Gabe told her all about the time he had spent with his brother and the things they had done together, but Mia noticed he didn't mention the potion his brothers owl had told her he was making. When it was so late that Gabe was beginning to make major spelling mistakes the two students said goodnight and closed their books.

* * *

Many miles away from the castle, Gabe sat up on his bed thinking. He had moved to his room after his mother had banished him to bed, but he had just lit candles and laid on his bed with two of his favorite cats while he continued to write Mia. The hour had grown late as they wrote and it was now very early the next morning when they had said their goodbyes. Gabe stretched his back and arms growing restless just as one of the cats on his bed took off in pursuit of nighttime wanderings. It was wonderful being able to write to Mia as if having a conversation and it almost made it feel like she was in the room with him.

He stroked the remaining cat on his bed getting him to purr with joy. Thinking about Mia again Gabe rose from his bed and went over to his dresser. He opened the top drawer and pulled out one of the clear vials of potion he had hidden under his socks. Gabe still couldn't believe it, but the animagus potion had turned out perfectly. Even with his strenuous efforts, he hadn't believed it would be a success. He wasn't the best potions brewer but had followed the directions and Mia's tips exactly. A part of him, he realized, had hoped the potion would fail so he wouldn't be tempted to take it, but as the steam cleared Gabe was shocked to see a perfectly clear potion.

After brewing it he had thought several times about taking the potion, but each time Gabe had put the small bottle back down and closed the drawer. It would be foolish and irrational to take it. He would be back at Hogwarts in just two weeks then he could ask Mia about it. 

_ Mia. _

Gabe thought again to her eyes. Then he remembered the eyes of that beautiful tiger. He knew she was that tiger he just knew it. To be able to change into an animal must be so amazing. Gabe couldn't even imagine how freeing it would be to run through the Forbidden Forest unafraid of anything living there, Mia in tiger form running at his side.

Gabe held the bottle with both hands. 

It was completely irrational. He had thought this out several times and it just wasn't the Ravenclaw thing to do. Logic told him it was dangerous, illegal and foolish. 

His left hand wrapped around the bottle. 

Taking the potion was a very Gryffindor thing to do. Mia had definitely taken it. She was so brave and foolish and fearless, and she didn't always think before she jumped. 

His right hand gripped the cork stopper. 

He shouldn't do it. It was a horrible idea. He would put the bottle back into the drawer. Gabe closed his eyes and imagined running through the forest again on all fours with the beautiful tiger by his side. He focused on that feeling of knowing she was by his side blocking out all other rational thought and allowing the temptation to sink deep into his skin. Then in a wave of shortsighted desire, Gabe pulled the stopper, put the vial to his lips and did the most irrational and unthought-out action of his life.

He drank.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!Gabe drank it! Who saw that coming??? 😒 besides literally everyone.   
> What do you think? What will happen to him? What will he become? Review with your thoughts and feelings!


	68. A full castle again

The last two weeks before term arrived and passed very quickly for Mia. She resumed brewing potions in the hospital wing, after Snape had somewhat contritely asked her when she would resume work on the potions list. He didn't apologize for his words on her birthday, but Mia knew he never would. But her pride would never keep her away from the opportunity to brew. She had a strong suspicion that as soon as classes started back up, she would be done with the list of work and he would go on pretending as if she didn't exist.

Mia also spent all her free time writing back and forth with Gabe. He seemed a bit more distracted lately and would sometimes stop writing in the middle of a sentence only to disappear for an hour, then return later invasively saying his mother had needed some help with something. Before Mia knew it, it was September the first and she was standing in the entrance hall in her best Hogwarts robes waiting for the students to arrive. Soon the carriages pulled up and people began pouring into the building.

Mia made her way into the great hall and as all of the students flooded in she kept looking around for familiar faces but didn't see the ones she wanted to. Gabe, Hermione, Harry, none of them were passing her. 

Suddenly she bumped into a teacher on his way to the staff table. "Sorry!" Mia looked up and saw that although she recognized the man, she wasn't expecting to see him here even for a moment. "Professor Lupin!" It was the man who she had met a few times over the years, the summer after her first year and in Diagon Alley.

Professor Lupin looked down at Mia noticing her suddenly with shock. "Oh! Ah, Mi- a- Miss Black! Good to see you!"

Just then Gabe spotted Mia and slammed into her with a big hug. Mia was knocked off of her feet a little, but luckily Gabe seemed to have grown even taller and managed to right her on her feet again. Mia looked up past Gabe's large frame and saw Professor Lupin walking away with a strange look.

Remus couldn't believe she still remembered him, they had only ever met twice and the last time had been more than a year ago. He wished he could have come to the castle over the summer to settle in and get the chance to talk to Mia. But Dumbledore had asked Remus to arrive on the train with the students as an added precaution. And it was a good thing to. With those monstrous Dementors invading.

Professor Dumbledore had given Remus permission to tell Mia whatever he felt comfortable with. The old man knew if Mia was going to end up moving in with Remus, which was the point of all this in the first place, then she had to know the truth, and she had to get to know Remus. Who better to tell her the truth of her family than her Godfather? As Remus made his way to the staff table, he couldn't help a smile spreading over his face as he made a note that Mia had been wearing the wolf necklace he had given her for her birthday.

Back among the students Gabe was greeting Mia and told her all about the Dementors invading the Hogwarts Express. Mia looked at Gabe closely as he spoke rapidly. Something seemed different about him but Mia couldn't figure out what. His eyes looked heavy and his skin looked a little pale and flushed despite his dark color. Despite the aloof voice he used as he told Mia about the train ride, Mia could tell he was still a little shaken. She could also tell there was more he wanted to tell her, but held back. The students all started taking their places and Mia and Gabe went to their separate tables, though Gabe went a little reluctantly.

Mia looked for Hermione or Harry but all she saw was Ron sitting by himself. Mia took the seat opposite of him and he greeted her with a pleasant nod. "Where are Harry and Hermione?"

Ron just shrugged. "McGonagall called them away." Mia looked up and noticed that McGonagall as well was missing from the room.

Neville leaned over to Ron. "Hey Ron! How is Harry doing? I can't believe he fainted on the train!" Ron gave Neville a warning glare and as soon as Neville noticed Mia sitting close by, he paled and quickly scampered away.

Ron saw the saddened look on Mia's face and noticed the people whispering about Sirius Black and pointing at Mia with fear. "Sorry to hear about your father." 

Mia nodded as the doors to the Great Hall opened and the new first years came in being guided by Professor Flitwick. As they were sorted into their new houses, Mia barely paid attention to the stage. Mia was angry at herself for thinking that this year would be different. Most of the students were too distracted by the beginning of term and the excitement of being back at the castle, but Mia could still feel it. The uncomfortable silence and sideways looks from the other students, every one of them had been reading the papers and listening to the news over the summer. All of Europe, wizarding and muggle alike had been keeping one eye out for a mass murderer hiding behind the corner, and now, the students of Hogwarts were eating dinner with his daughter.

As Professor Flitwick slipped out of the room with the sorting hat, the doors opened again and in came Professor McGonagall flanked by Harry and Hermione. The last two slipped into the bench next to Mia and they all focused in on Professor Dumbledore as he welcomed their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Lupin. Mia clapped hard right along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Then Professor Dumbledore announced that Hagrid the groundskeeper was taking over as Care of Magical Creatures Teacher. Hermione had written Mia and told her about the book they were required to buy, a monster book that tried to bite off her hand, and Mia was suddenly thankful she hadn't chosen that class.

Then Professor Dumbledore finally addressed the students about the Dementors, telling them they were here to protect the school from Sirius Black. Mia dropped her eyes to her empty plate as the Headmaster spoke, but she could feel eyes pressing into her from all sides. Mia suddenly realized how difficult this year was going to be. Mia was just thankful, and deep down a little sad, that nothing would bring him anywhere near Hogwarts. He had no reason to come there. Although she understood the ministry taking precautions anyways.

Finally the feast began and Hermione told Mia everything that had happened on the train and how their new DADA teacher had acted. Harry wouldn't look up as Hermione mentioned the Dementor attack and a few times she saw Draco across the hall putting on a show and pretending to faint. Mia shook her head, she loved her cousin Draco dearly but she refused to get in the middle of his and Harry's grudge war. Mia made a note to remember to talk to Harry and tell him how she had passed out when the Dementors had attacked her that summer as well. Maybe that would cheer him up a bit.

Conversation quickly turned to their new teacher along their table and the students began wondering how competent the new teacher would be. So Hermione launched back into the story of how Lupin had saved them, telling every student who didn't yet know. Mia was impressed that Professor Lupin had been able to ward off the Dementors in apparently the same way Professor Dumbledore had. Dumbledore had said this was a very difficult spell and Mia was impressed that the man she had casually bumped into over the years was such a powerful and skilled wizard.

Mia caught herself watching Professor Lupin at the staff table. Mia remembered the first time she had met him in Diagon Alley. He had said it had always been a dream of his to teach at Hogwarts, and now looking up at the man, Mia could see a glimmer of such joy behind his tired eyes. He looked more exhausted than she had ever seen him, but the light behind his eyes as he joked with Professor Sprout made Mia happy. She didn't know why she cared so much about this man, but that odd connection to him she had felt the few times she had met him returned to her in full force. Mia was excited for the opportunity to get to know him better through classes.

Mia looked over to the Ravenclaw table trying to see Gabe but realized he was nowhere to be seen. Mia didn't know why but this made her worry just a little for Gabe. The feast hadn't been going for very long, definitely not long enough for Gabe to fill his vast appetite. Ron across from her was still piling food into his face and Mia had learned Gabe, a few inches taller than Ron, could easily eat just as much as the redhead.

Soon the feast was over and Mia made her way up to the Gryffindor tower with the rest of her house. She slept soundly that night, having the school full again made the castle buzz with excitement and energy. She would be starting classes the next day. Not even her worry over her father and the new fearful looks her classmates gave her, nor her worry over Gabe could take away from her excitement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how long do you think till Mia knows who Lupin is?


	69. First day of Term

Mia awoke early to a bright morning, the first day of term. After getting ready for the day, Mia made her way down to the great hall ready for breakfast and to receive her class list. She started eating some toast and it wasn't long before she was joined by Hermione and then Gabe. When he arrived, Mia immediately asked Gabe where he had disappeared too during the feast, but Gabe just looked nervous and started saying something about a book. Much to his relief Mia's attention was torn away when Hermione commented on her necklace.

"Wow Mia! That is a very beautiful necklace! Where did you get it?"

Mia smiled brightly and touched the delicate silver wolf at her throat. "Oh thanks! It was a birthday present. Isn't it beautiful?"

"It really is. Who gave it to you?"

Mia looked up a little surprised and started saying it was a present from her aunt but Mia knew from the look on Gabe's face that he could tell it was a lie. Just then Ron and Harry came over and Mia was saved. Hermione turned to her two friends and Gabe leaned in to get a better look at the pendant. His eyes widened in surprise. 

"It's a wolf! Wow, that's quite a coincidence..." He had the look again like he was trying to figure out a hard puzzle.

"Why is it a coincidence?" Mia asked skeptically.

Gabe looked up again from the necklace the same evasive look on his face. "You know, because... you have a thing about wolves." Then Gabe flipped the question back onto Mia with a wicked gleam. "I didn't know your  _ aunt _ knew about your wolf friends."

"Ok so it wasn't my aunt." Mia looked to make sure Hermione was distracted. "It was RJL."

Mia had told him a few times about the mysterious person who had given her birthday presents over the years.

Gabe looked thoughtful at this. "You don't think RJL knows about your wolf friends do you?"

Mia shook her head. "No, a few years ago RJL sent me an old stuffed animal that I had when I was little. It's a small gray wolf and I actually sort of remember it from when I was a baby. It had a note attached that said they had given it to me the day I was born. I think wolves are just a thing from when I was little, like an inside joke I was too young to understand."

This made sense to Gabe. "But who do you think it could be? Another family member? You do have a few more Aunts don't you?"

Mia laughed at this. "Yeah I do. One of them is in Azkaban, so count her out. And the other is named Andromeda Tolks or Tonks or something. Not RJL. I've never met someone with those initials before."

"That you know of." Gabe smiled at the girl and Professor McGonagall came around to them and started passing out their class schedules. Mia was delighted to see that because she and Gabe were taking the same electives, many of their other classes were now together as well. The only classes they still had apart were Potions and Herbology. Across the table Ron was giving Hermione a hard time about her schedule being too full but Hermione kept pushing him off.

Just then Draco came into the hall surrounded by a group of Slytherins and Draco seemed to be acting out another fainting drama for his cronies. Everyone laughed as they made their way to their table. Harry glared into his plate as Fred and George came over. 

Fred said Draco had come screaming into their compartment during the Dementors train visit. George commented that he wasn't too happy with their presence either. Harry didn't look up from his plate as he spoke. "You didn't pass out though, did you?" George looked sympathetic and Mia felt horrible. She wanted to tell Harry he wasn't alone but her pride didn't want to admit it to all these people.

"I did." Harry looked up at her along with the others. Mia had only told Gabe about her summer attack.

"You weren't even on the train." Ron accused her.

Mia took a deep breath. "No. Over the summer. The day he escaped." Mia didn't need to say who 'he' was. Everyone understood. "I was out on the grounds and they surrounded me. I thought I was dying. Everything went black and the next thing I knew I was laying on the grass. Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape were there, they had driven them away. You weren't the only one to pass out Harry. I get it." 

Mia didn't say any more. She didn't explain about the sick high pitched laughter or the woman's weak pleading voice. She didn't tell them there had been almost a hundred Dementors to surround her because they thought she was hiding her father.

The great hall had begun to empty out and the students began to pack up to head to class. George and Fred left with a whisper to Mia that they would talk to her soon. They had written back and forth a few times about Mia's mustache potion and they were excited to start experimenting. Harry, Ron and Hermione started making their way out of the room as Ron commented that their Divination class was really far away and they waved to Gabe and Mia who had Arithmancy. Just before they were out of earshot Mia called after Hermione. "Hermione! Don't you have Arithmancy with us?" 

Her yell startled a few Ravenclaw first years who screeched as they realized Mia was 'that girl'. Gabe glared threateningly until they ran away. Hermione responded that she would meet them at class then disappeared around a corner after Ron and Harry.

Gabe and Mia shrugged to each other and continued to make their way to class. They found seats near the front and it wasn't long before Hermione dropped into a seat next to Mia looking extremely flustered. Mia decided not to ask.

Mia loved Arithmancy. Professor Vector was a very strict teacher who was serious about her subject. She explained to them the science of predicting the future using numbers and explained that this was a much more sensible thing than divination. Hermione harrumphed at this point. Mia noticed their class was rather small, made up of mostly Ravenclaws. When she asked Gabe he said it was because Arithmancy was a much more academic class. Mia and Hermione were the only Gryffindors but there was also one Hufflepuff girl, and one Slytherin boy Mia knew was called Blaze.

When class ended Mia, Gabe and Hermione made their way to transfiguration. Mia turned to ask Hermione a question about their homework but found she was gone. She looked at Gabe. 

"Don't look at me! She was right behind us!" 

Mia just shrugged and took her usual seat next to Gabe. When the class started to trickle in Mia noticed something was off. Some of the students had been in Arithmancy with Mia and Gabe and they all seemed normal and cheery. But when a larger portion of the class that Mia knew had been in Divination with Harry and Ron came in, each one was sullen and silent. As soon as the class started every observation left her head as Professor McGonagall began their new topic: Animagi. 

Mia was completely captivated by the teacher's explanation of the process she knew so well and didn't even notice Gabe sweating beside her as Professor McGonagall began talking about the danger and possible death to anyone who attempted the transformation without proper preparation. When Professor McGonagall gave a physical demonstration by turning into a beautiful tabby cat and back again Mia was snapped out of her tunnel vision when the professor addressed the class with frustration. "Really! Not that it matters, but that is the first time my transformation has not gotten an applause from a class." All of the students except for Mia and Gabe, and the Ravenclaws who had been in Arithmancy turned to stare at Harry who sunk down in his chair looking glum. Hermione was the first to speak. "Please Professor, we just had Divination." Mia looked over to Hermione, She hadn't just had divination, she just had Arithmancy.

"Ah, I see, say no more Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you is going to die this year?"

Mia didn't know exactly what was happening but Harry raised his hand and McGonagall nodded as if in confirmation. "Then you should know Potter, Sibyll Trelawney has predicted the death of one of her students every year since she arrived at this school and all of them are still alive to this day. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it weren't for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues..."

Professor McGonagall went quiet and Mia could see her nostrils turning white. She continued a little more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I will not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True seers are very rare and Professor Trelawney..." 

She stopped again and Mia tried to hide the smile that was creeping onto her face. She loved her straight edged professor so much, and the fact that she thought some of Mia's other teachers were total nincompoops (like Lockhart had been) made Mia love her even more. Few other students ever saw the other side of McGonagall. It was a side Mia had grown to adore over summer holidays while drinking cups of tea. McGonagall was a strict soul yes, but she had a fierce loyalty and an endlessly sarcastic spirit.

Once in control of herself again Professor McGonagall turned to Harry. "You look in excellent health to me Potter, so excuse me if I do not let you off of homework today. I promise that if you die, you need not hand it in." Mia laughed, as did a few others. Professor McGonagall continued her lesson on Animagi and was answering a question that Lavender asked about how it felt to transform when Gabe stiffened in his seat next to Mia and asked to be excused to the restroom. He didn't return for the last quarter of an hour of class, so Mia packed up his bag and took it with her to lunch.

Mia sat with Harry and Ron talking about the classes they had that morning and Mia realized that Ron and Harry kept referring to their Divination class as though Hermione had been in it with them. Mia tried to catch her eye, but the girl seemed extremely evasive once again. Mia decided to ask her once they were in private. Gabe still hadn't returned as they began to head off to their next class, Mia to Ancient Runes and Ron and Harry to Care of Magical Creatures. Mia knew Hermione was supposed to be attending both classes and decided to silently watch and see who she made the excuse to and who she went with. Once in the entrance hall, Hermione gave Mia a meaningful look and headed out the door with the boys as Mia turned to head up the staircase.

Just before Mia made it to the top of the first staircase she heard someone running up the steps behind her. "Mia wait!" She turned to see a panting Draco running up the stairs behind her. They hadn't had a chance to speak yet since term had started because Draco usually didn't like to show that he genuinely cared for her when other people were around.

"Draco aren't you going to be late to class?" He was still breathing hard from running after her so Mia shifted the bags on her shoulder while she waited for him.

Once he had his breath again he straightened up. "Don't worry, I have care of Magical Creatures with that oaf Hagrid. It's sure to be horrid. Besides, what could I possibly miss on the first day?"

"So glad to see your commitment to school Draco." Mia smiled at him. "So tell me, what do you need?  _ I _ actually want to get to class on time."

Draco looked away and smoothed down his blond hair as if nervous to say what was on his mind. "So, how have you been?"

"Draco! out with it!"

He sighed deeply and set his face as if decided. "How much do you know? About why your father was put in Azkaban."

Mia looked at Draco with confusion. "What are you talking about? He killed a bunch of muggles while working for You-Know-Who. Why would you even ask?" Mia knew there had to be a bit more to the story than that, but that was all she knew of it and really didn't like being reminded of her ignorance.

"Well yeah, but the rest of it, you know, just before that happened. Hasn't anyone told you what happened?" Draco was looking nervous.

"No Draco, that's all I know. Now either tell me what you know or leave so I can get to class!" Mia was losing her temper. She had gotten really touchy about the subject of her father since he had escaped.

"I'm sorry, it's just, my father told me about it over the summer and Mia, it's really bad." He looked at her like he was afraid for her. "It's the sort of thing that if anyone finds out, they won't treat you the same. Especially your Gryffindor friends."

"Draco, my father is a mass murderer. First years run from me in the halls. What could possibly make that worse?" She said it as a joke but at the look on Draco's face she got a little worried. "Draco, spill it."

He shook his head. "You shouldn't hear it from me. Really don't look at me like that! It's not my place really. I just wanted to warn you, if Potter finds out he might take it out on you and even though  _ I _ would prefer you two not being friends, I know you kind of care about your friends."

"Draco if you have any sense of humanity in that Slytherin body of yours you will tell me what you know right now."

"Mia I can't! It's not my place, really!" Mia looked at Draco with a murderous look. Draco just smiled wickedly at her. "All I'm saying is to be careful. I don't think Potter knows yet, but if he finds out, your little friend may turn all your 'good friends' against you. Just remember you always have your family." He turned and started walking down the stairs.

"But I don't get it, why won't you just tell me!"

"I'm sorry Mia, but I'm already late for class!" Mia angrily turned to head up to her next class, frustrated that she was late to her first Ancient Runes class, and furious that Draco wouldn't tell her what he knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone notice the BIG plot change in that last chapter? I will give you a hint. 
> 
> Draco was late to Care of Magical Creatures :) 
> 
> Oh yeah, that's right people, big things are changing this year. Heres how it went. Draco was late to class, and Hagrid, thinking it was an insult to him told Draco off and gave him detention. Draco sulky didn't participate in class, and Buckbeak never attacked him.


	70. Eight

As she entered the class and apologized profusely to Professor Babbling, Mia couldn't help being a little worried if what Draco said was true and that all of her friends would betray her if they found out the truth. She had come so far in learning to trust and to be real with people, but she still had a lot to learn about true friends. She sat down at an empty table unloading Gabe's bag in the seat next to her as she got out the tools to start taking notes. Mia was a good twenty minutes late to class and Gabe still wasn't back yet. Mia was beginning to worry. To Mia's further puzzlement Mia saw Hermione sitting in the front row, she had beat Mia to class. The girl wouldn't meet Mia's eye either.

Professor Babbling was a placid if not easily distracted witch. McGonagall had once told Mia that she was a brilliant witch, but spending so many years with her head in ancient books had made it so that she wasn't always completely present when interacting with humans. As she resumed her lecture Mia quickly understood what McGonagall had meant. The woman was explaining the theoretical function of ancient runes and had all but forgotten that the students were in the room. It wasn’t too different from how Professor Binns taught.

After a few minutes Gabe slipped into the room and onto the seat next to Mia. Professor Babbling didn't even notice as Gabe pulled out his notebook and started taking notes. "Thanks for grabbing my bag." He whispered in Mia's ear so as not to be heard.

She looked over to him with worry. "Where were you? You were gone over an hour!" The smile dropped off of Gabe's face as he mouthed 'later' to Mia and continued taking notes. Mia dismissed Gabe's aloofness, her own problems weighing on her mind. They took notes for another half hour while Mia internally wrestled with whether or not to tell Gabe about Draco's cryptic warning. Finally Mia leaned over and spoke into Gabe's ear. "Draco cornered me after lunch to warn me about something."

Gabe looked up at Mia as if suddenly remembering she was there, then the look changed to one of concern. "About what?"

"He asked if I knew everything my father had really done to get put in jail. And then he said that it was too bad for him to tell me, but that if anyone found out the truth they wouldn't be my friends anymore. Especially Harry."

Gabe put on his thinking face. "He wouldn't say what?" Mia shook her head. "Well in the end it doesn't really matter what your father did. Nothing would change the way your friends think of you, nothing could change the way I think about you." Gabe touched Mia's hand reassuringly as she looked doubtful people wouldn't change how they feel about her. "Truthfully Mia. Draco hasn't grown up in a world where he could trust people who were close to him. Maybe if his friends found out all of his dirty little secrets they would turn on him, but there is nothing you could ever say, do, or tell me to make me stop being your friend. And I'm sure Harry and Hermione feel the same. Ron on the other hand..." Gabe gave Mia a light smirk and she relaxed a little.

The next few days passed swiftly. Hermione kept showing up in too many places and Gabe kept disappearing from them. His most recent disappearance was just before charms class. He didn't return again until lunch time. Mia didn't say a word as Gabe slipped into the seat next to her and started eating. Mia just shook her head and took a bite of her stewed potatoes. Professor Flitwick was walking past the Gryffindor table as he spotted Gabe. "Mr. Adewumi! I missed you in class today. You weren't ditching on me were you?"

"Gabe blushed under his dark skin. No Sir. I wasn't feeling very well, I'm sorry."

Professor Flitwick nodded to the embarrassed boy. "Not a problem, not a problem. Just bring a note from Madam Pomfrey and I will excuse the absence. I'm sure Miss Black can catch you up on what you missed."

"Oh um, Professor, I can't get a note for my absence. I was in the bathroom, not the hospital wing." Gabe's blush grew as he tried to hide his face from the teacher and the girl sitting next to him.

Seeing his discomfort Professor Flitwick nodded, knowing Gabe was a good student and was clearly embarrassed by his answer. "Right, well that is understandable of course. If you continue to feel off please go to the hospital wing." The short professor walked up to the staff table and Mia and Gabe both turned back to their food not saying a word. After a few minutes of awkward silence Gabe scooped up a sandwich and muttered something about needing to get his potions book before class as he left the hall.

Mia started wondering once again what was wrong with Gabe. Was he sick? Maybe she should insist he go to the hospital wing. After watching Ron scarf down half the food on the table Mia decided to make her way out to the greenhouse for Herbology. She was deep in thought with her eyes on the ground when she smacked into someone. "I'm so sorry!"

Mia looked up into the eyes of Professor Lupin, as she apologized and he stepped back realizing who he had bumped into. "So Miss Black, I see we keep running into each other." He smiled slightly.

Mia laughed. "I see we are. My coordination is usually better than this, I apologize."

"Not to worry, no harm done. I'm not as frail as I look." Lupin smiled at the girl and she was relieved to see he was joking. The professor did indeed look under the weather with his pale skin and dark bags under his eyes. He looked quite a bit better than he had the first day of term.

Mia decided to change the subject from the man's health. "So I see you're getting to live your dreams after all." Mia had a big grin as she looked up at the Professor.

Lupin just looked down at Mia confused and slightly worried that she knew he had been looking forward to coming to Hogwarts to see her. "What do you mean?"

"The first time we met in Diagon Alley before my first year, you mentioned that it had always been a dream of yours to one day teach at Hogwarts."

A small smile formed in the corner of Lupin's face, he couldn't help but smile when he looked at Mia. "You remember that?"

"Of course!" Mia seemed to light up with the memory. "You were the first wizard I ever met who didn't seem horrified looking at me when they knew who my father was." Mia saw this answer seemed to trouble Lupin as a dark shadow crossed his face.

Mia was about to say something to lighten the mood when the bell signifying break was over rang out and Professor Lupin seemed to snap back to reality. "I'm sorry Mia, but I have somewhere to be. I will see you Thursday in class!" And with that Lupin ran off up a flight of stairs.

Lupin felt like a moron as he ran away from his goddaughter. Why couldn't he just man up and talk to her? He worried so much that she wouldn't like him and wouldn't want anything to do with him that he kept chickening out and not speaking to her at all. Lupin couldn't believe she still remembered what he had told her the first time they had met in Diagon Alley. Lupin kicked himself knowing he should just tell her who he was. If she could remember every man who had ever not flinched at her last name then she was clearly in desperate need for friends. He would have to do better. He had to do better. His next chance would come Thursday in class, and Lupin would make sure he did a better job at it.

That night in the Gryffindor common room Mia, Harry, Ron and Hermione were working on their school work. Crookshanks, Hermione's new pet cat came in to beg for scratches. Mia liked this cat. He was an older tom cat and had a very intelligent way of looking at the world. Mia had already heard a few arguments between Ron and Hermione about the cat’s apparent desire to eat Ron's rat. And as Ron's front pocket began to twitch Mia knew she was in for another argument. "Hermione get that stinking cat out of here! Scabbers is in my pocket."

The cat's ears pricked forward at mention of the rat. "Crookshanks has just as much right to be here as Scabbers does!"

"Scabbers is sick! He needs rest to get better. He can't get better with that evil cat lurking about!"

Mia shook her head. "Can I help?" Ron and Hermione looked at Mia as if just seeing her.

Mia had told Hermione about her ability after her and Gabe had discovered that it had a name. And with her permission, Hermione had told Harry and Ron. It had made Harry feel better knowing that he wasn't the only one with a strange ability to communicate with other creatures. Hermione was the first to understand what she meant. "That's right! You can talk to animals, and prove Crookshanks won't eat Scabbers."

Mia looked at Crookshanks. The cat lazily looked at Mia. “ _Right, because I'm just going to promise not to eat a rat. How very cat like that would be of me.”_

Mia tried not to laugh as she looked at Ron. "Can I see Scabbers?" To Crookshanks she said, "Be nice."

Ron looked at the cat with disgust and reluctantly reached into his robes to pull out the rat. He handed Scabbers over to Mia who held the rat gently. Crookshanks sat up with his eyes sharply on the rat but didn't move an inch more. Mia looked the rat over taking in his ragged appearance. Something was definitely off about Scabbers but it wasn't his health. "I can't hear him."

"What?" Ron looked at Mia as if she was the broken one, not his rat.

"I can hear the thoughts of every animal I have ever met but I can't hear anything coming from Scabbers. There's something strange about him." At this proclamation, Scabbers began to jerk in Mia's hands as if begging for freedom. She understood now why she hadn't known Scabbers was in Ron's pocket. She couldn't hear him speak like she could all other animals. Mia handed Scabbers back to Ron with confusion.

Crookshanks watched the rat go as Ron put him back in his pocket. “ _He's a very strange rat. Strange equals interesting, interesting equals prey.”_

Mia looked at the cat. "Scabbers is Ron's friend, just like you are Hermione's friend. That means he is your friend. No eating him."

Ron looked at the cat while petting his pocket. "Yeah! No eating him!" Hermione just scoffed and dug back into her book.

Crookshanks looked back to Mia and laid back down on his chair. “ _Pet me for a while and_ maybe _I will agree.”_ Mia obeyed the command and started petting the cat like a good human.

Mia stored this new puzzle away in her brain along with all the rest. Why was Scabbers different? Where was Gabe disappearing to? How was Hermione getting to all of her classes? Who was RJL? Why did she feel so drawn to Professor Lupin? Would she ever get the opportunity to speak to or even see her father before he was captured and destroyed by the Dementors? Why did he ever leave her in the first place?

That night Mia sat in her bed with the curtains drawn and looked through her father's old photo album. She looked over the photo of the four boys arm in arm, all smiling brightly. She wished the picture would tell her who her father had been.

Her eyes caught for a moment on the sandy-haired boy on the left of the picture, and she knew why he looked so familiar. This was Professor Lupin! he had known her father when he was in school. Maybe he could answer some of the questions that wouldn't stop running through her head. 

* * *

In another part of the castle Gabriel Adewumi was locking himself into a deserted bathroom on the fourth floor of the school, his heart racing, his forehead full of sweat and his right leg and lower torso half transformed into an animal. He could barely walk and had limped the whole way into hiding. This was bad. This was so bad. It had been a close call this time. A teacher had almost spotted him. That was all he needed, the school finding out he had performed an illegal act attempting to become an unregistered animagus. He would be expelled for sure, and then he would probably still die.

Gabe was running out of potions. He only had nine left. Nine more transformations and then the next one, if he didn't have this down, would be his last. He just couldn't figure out how to transform on his own. Mia had done it, he was sure, but he really didn't want to ask for her help. He could do this on his own. He was a Ravenclaw and was so many times better at Transfiguration than Mia, he _could_ do this on his own. Gabe pulled the glass vial out of his pocket. His leg going numb and his hands shaking he quickly pulled the stopper out of the glass. He put it to his lips and drank. As he transformed there was only one thought in his head.

_Eight. Eight more vials and then I'm dead._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nooo! Gabe!!!!   
> Will he tell Mia? What's gonna happen guys???


	71. The Bogart

The students fell into a rhythm of classes and school work, and excitement over the school's new Defense teacher was circling around the castle. Mia, knowing her class wouldn't be until Thursday felt the week tick by slowly, but finally the week passed and it was here. Mia and the other Gryffindors spent the morning in Potions with the Slytherins, and Mia was paired up as usual with Neville and Hermione. Draco was a few tables away with Harry and Ron, taunting and distracting them as they brewed their shrinking potion. Mia just shook her head at her cousin's bullheadedness.

In honor of the first Potions class of the year, Professor Snape was laying into Neville hard making him go to pieces. His potion was going from bad to worst and Snape announced to the class that they would be feeding some of Neville's potion to his toad at the end of the lesson. This made the Slytherins snicker and Mia cringe, for as she looked at the potion in his cauldron, she knew it would kill the toad for sure. Hermione offered to help but Snape ordered her to mind her own business. Mia tried to offer her help but Neville just seemed to panic more when she whispered directions to him. Mia gave up realizing Neville was still too frightened of her. As Hermione took over fervently whispering directions Mia resumed work on her own potion.

Mia could still hear Draco taunting Harry and she suddenly realized with a start what he was talking about. "Thinking of catching Black single handed Potter?" Mia turned her head to listen closer. "Of course, I would be out there looking for my revenge. Not staying in school like some good little boy. I'd be out there looking for him."

Mia didn't know what Draco was talking about, and apparently neither did Ron or Harry.

"Don't you know Potter?" Draco sneered into his potion. "Maybe you'd rather not risk your neck. Want to leave it up to the Dementors, do you? But if it was me, I'd want my revenge. I'd hunt him down myself."

Mia spun around in her chair till she was looking straight at Draco. He caught her eye then dropped his gaze in shame. He went back to working on his potion and Harry and Ron had their heads bent in whispers distracted to the world. Mia couldn't believe it. Draco refused to tell Mia the truth about her dad because he didn't feel like it was his right, and now here he was using the same information to torment Harry.

If she could even believe what Draco was saying now, it would mean that her dad had done something to wrong Harry. Mia had heard the rumors that her father was after Harry, but seeing as Harry was still speaking to Mia, she didn't think he believed them. But now things made more sense. The ministry wouldn't really put Dementors at the entrance to the school if they didn't see Black attacking as a serious chance, and he had been sighted by muggles close by recently. But Mia knew, deep down that she wasn't his real motivation in coming to Hogwarts, and seeing Ron's and Harry's frantic whispers, she could only guess what it was. 

Everyone knew Sirius Black had been Voldemort's loyal follower, and who had brought down Voldemort? It made sense. Mia's father was coming after Harry, not her.

After the extremely stress filled potions class where Snape had managed to take uncountable points away from Gryffindor, mostly because Neville's toad had not been killed thanks to Hermione, Mia decided to skip lunch and instead spent her time in the library trying to think through what she had heard. It wasn't long before Gabe found her after noticing her absence. She told him what she had heard Draco saying.

"Come on, why would he be after Harry?" Gabe spoke the words like he was trying to cast doubt, but both Mia and Gabe knew it was the most logical answer and he was just trying to make her feel better. "On the bright side, we have Defense Against the Dark Arts today and from how the whole school is talking it sounds like Professor Lupin is the first good teacher we have ever had in it!" Mia knew this was true. Every chass that had already had their DADA class earlier in the week couldn't stop talking about how brilliant Lupin had been. Mia was happy to hear he was adjusting well, although she didn't know exactly why she cared.

What she was most excited for in his class was the fact that this year the Gryffindors would be sharing their class with the Ravenclaws, meaning Mia would have Gabe to pair with and he could help her study better. 

"And the best part is I will have you in class to help me understand what is actually going on!"

Gabe looked at Mia as if skeptical. "Oh can it, you aren't nearly as ruddy at Defensive spells as you say."

Finally it was time to leave for class and they grabbed their bags and they started to make their way out of the library, Mia in the lead. Gabe stopped suddenly just after he stood up and froze. Mia turned to look at him and saw he had a look of panic rushing over his face as he quickly buried his arm into his robes and hunched over a bit. "Are you ok?"

Mia was concerned but Gabe, noticing her attention just attempted a smile. "Oh I'm fine, I think I forgot something, I will meet you in class." And with that Gabe ran off quickly.

Mia didn't question Gabe's sudden exit as he had been having a lot of them recently, so she made her way to class and found a seat close to the window. She started to get out her book and supplies to take notes like the rest of the class. After a few minutes Professor Lupin came into the room.

"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back into your bags? You will only be needing your wands. Today will be a practical lesson." Mia started to worry. She was never very good with practical defense. It had taken her months to get that disarming spell down the year before. Everyone scrambled to put their things away and when they had Professor Lupin addressed them again. "Right then, if you would follow me."

Professor Lupin took off at a brisk walk and the class scrambled after him. They encountered Peeves on the second floor where Professor Lupin made his prank backfire on him in a very impressive way. He immediately earned a place of respect among the students. Finally they seemed to arrive at their destination and Mia was startled to see that it was the staffroom.

The class filed into the room and saw that Professor Snape was sitting in one of the chairs by the fire. Professor Lupin and him exchanged a few tense words and Professor Snape made to leave the sooner so as not to have to witness the third year's class. Just before he left he stopped and turned back to the room, his eyes burrowing into Neville. 

"Possibly no one has warned you Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything too difficult. That is unless you have Miss Granger hissing instructions into his ear."

Mia felt horrible for Neville as he went red. It really wasn't fair the way Snape treated him, but Lupin seemed to consider him. "I was hoping Neville would assist me in the first stage of the operation. And I am sure he will perform admirably."

Neville looked terrified and Snape just left with a sneer and a slammed door. Professor Lupin seemed to forget Professor Snape immediately and regaining the classes' attention ushered them towards a wardrobe in the corner where the teachers kept spare robes. The wardrobe lurched suddenly and the class all took a step back.

"Nothing to worry about, there's a bogart in there." Professor Lupin spoke calmly but most of the class seemed to think this wasn't good news. Neville looked close to passing out. "Bogarts like dark enclosed spaces. Wardrobes, the space under the bed, cupboards beneath sinks. I even met one who had lodged himself into a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday and I asked the headmaster if he could leave it to give you some practice. So the first question we must ask is; what is a bogart?"

Hermione was the first to answer. "It's a shape-shifter. It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us the most."

"Couldn't have put it better myself." Professor Lupin smiled at Hermione. "So the bogart in the wardrobe has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a bogart looks like when he is alone. Now when I let him out the bogart will immediately become whatever each of us most fears. This means that we have a big advantage over the bogart before we begin. Have you spotted it Harry?"

Harry got a look like he was thinking hard and Hermione immediately threw up her hand with an answer. Harry spoke first. "Because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?"

"Precisely." Lupin beamed at Harry. "It is always best to take on a bogart with company. It gets confused and can easily mess up its transformation. Now, the charm that repels a bogart is simple but it requires force of mind, you see the thing that really finishes off a bogart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape you find amusing. We will practice the charm first without wands. Please repeat after me.  _ Riddikulus!" _

_ "Riddikulus!" _ The class said together.

"Good, very good. But I am afraid that is the easy part. You see the word alone is not enough and that is where you come in Neville." Neville looked up with shock. "Now tell me Neville, what it is that scares you the most in the world."

Mia could guess what he would say, but when Neville actually admitted that it was Professor Snape the whole class chuckled, including Neville. Professor Lupin continued. "As I suspected. Now Neville, you live with your grandmother, is that correct?"

"Yeah, but I don't want that Bogart turning into her either!" The class chuckled again.

Professor Lupin smiled but shook his head. "No you misunderstand me. Can you describe for me what your grandmother usually wears?" Neville went on to describe an elderly woman in a tall pointed hat with a stuffed vulture and a long green dress with a fox fur scarf. Occasionally Lupin would help him along, "and a hand bag?" Once Neville was finished describing his grandmother Professor Lupin continued. "Now, when that bogart comes out of the wardrobe and sees you Neville, it is going to assume the shape of Professor Snape. Then you will raise your wand and cry  _ riddikulus, _ and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes according to plan, Professor Bogart Snape will be forced to model your grandmother's wardrobe for us."

The class all laughed at this though and Professor Lupin ushered Neville forward. "Now when Neville is successful the bogart will focus its attention onto one of us instead. I would like all of you to take a moment and think about what frightens you the most, then think of a way to make it look comical."

The whole class went quiet and seemed to be thinking hard. Mia thought to herself. What frightened her? She didn't really scare easily and went boldly into the forbidden forest on so many occasions without even blinking an eye. She had even become an animagus, a very dangerous process, and not once did she sway in fear but what scared her? Not her father, that made her more angry than anything. Then Mia remembered the Dementors. The huge swarm of Dementors that had attacked and overwhelmed her over the summer. She had spent half the summer reading into them and the horror of what would happen to her father if he was caught, if there was anything that scared her it was them for sure. Even just thinking of them in this bright classroom brought terror to her heart that she would lose who she was and sink into that darkness again.

"Everyone ready?" Lupin said. But Mia looked up in alarm as her classmates all nodded. She hadn't even begun to think of something funny.

Professor Lupin nodded to Neville and he gulped bravely and faced the wardrobe with wand raised. Professor Lupin shot a spell at the wardrobe and it burst open. In a swirl of smoke, Professor Snape swept out of the wardrobe and leered after Neville. Neville took a step back and shaking raised his wand. "R-r- _ Riddikulus! _ " With a loud crack Snape stumbled and was wearing a long lace trimmed dress and a tall stuffed vulture hat. He was swinging a large red hand bag and the whole class let out a loud burst of laughter. The Snape Bogart looked self-conscious in his dress and looked around in confusion. Professor Lupin called out for them to form a line and the students faced the bogart one by one.

Mia made it a point to stay In the back of the line, Harry was in front of her. As the line drew smaller Mia was brought closer and closer to the bogart. The bogart was trying to get away, she could tell it was just an animal acting on instinct and fear. Most animals tried to use fear to hide their own. Mia thought for a moment. Most humans tried to do that to.

Now Mia was just three people away from the bogart, it turned into a Mummy when Parvati approached it, then she yelled out  _ Riddikulus!  _ and the mummy's bandages fell to the floor to reveal a guy in his unders. Now it was Harry's turn, then it would be hers. She was starting to panic but then Lupin called out "No Harry, to me!" Was she saved? The Bogart turned into a strange milky white glowing orb with a  _ crack _ and then Lupin not missing a beat called out  _ Riddikulus! _ in an almost bored voice. It popped like a balloon and flew around the class. He told everyone to gather around as it was starting to get confused, it was a rattlesnake which tied into a bow Mia was dodging around in the back of the crowd trying to stay away from the bogart.  _ Crack _ , now it was a bloody eyeball  _ crack  _ now it was a severed hand.

The next thing Mia knew the crowd opened and Mia was directly in front of a half tarantula half clown, and it saw her. Time froze as the bogart slid closer. It knew. It knew this girl had a fear that would be strong enough to save it from this group of wizards. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun dunnnnn. What do you think her bogart will be?   
> I hope everyone is having a wonderful week and staying safe <3 I hope you all find small bits of joy in your day to make things brighter.


	72. Chocolate

Suddenly there was a  _ crack _ and as if a wave of misery rolled out of that  _ crack _ , darkness overcame the room and with it was a sense of dread. Standing before Mia was a dark, cloaked figure. Mia trembled in fear as she watched the dementor glide towards her slowly and then it split and there were two. They started to glide out towards the students as the students crept backwards in fear. Then the Dementors split again and now there were four, then there were eight. Everything she knew and loved was sucked out of her as she slowly raised her wand. She planted her feet and stood firmly before the dementor, no bogart. It was just a bogart. 

She tried to think of something funny to make fun of it, but a strong sucking noise was all she could hear. No she also could hear the pleading again. The desperate pleading, and the hysterical laughing. She tried to think of a happy thought, to chase away the badness, but there was just so much badness. She couldn't think, she couldn't breathe. Her legs gave out and she fell to her knees. She would not submit, she would not give in. She held her head high as everything she knew was sucked out of her.

The dementor raised its bone like grizzled hands up to its hood and began to pull it back. The rattling death sound grew louder until she could no longer hear anything, not the cries of the other students, not even Professor Lupin calling out  _ riddikulus, riddikulus, riddikulus! _ , trying to hit the right dementor. All Mia could hear was the rattling and the crying, the pleading, and the sick high-pitched laughter, and Mia's eyes grew dark.

Just then a light brighter than she had ever hoped to see again came shooting through the room. It blazed with white fire and tore apart the fake Dementors and came charging at the very real dementor/bogart that was in front of Mia. The bogart was pushed up against a wall by a pearly patronis shaped like some sort of large cat. Professor Lupin walked up to the dementor with a murderous look of rage in his eyes and called out in a strong and powerful voice,

_ Riddikulus! _

The bogart fractured apart into a thousand little pieces and the patronis leaped back into Lupin's wand. The wizard himself was breathing heavily and looked alive with fury like Mia had never seen him before. With passion in his eyes he turned and scanned around the room, making sure all of his students were safe. When his eyes landed on Mia he seemed to let out a deep breath and he deflated a little, letting go of the passion and rage and just looking relieved, and tired.

He looked around the rest of the room and his eyes fell on Harry. Mia saw him too, he had fainted. Mia had fully collapsed onto the floor by the time the patronis had saved her, but thankfully she hadn't actually blacked out. "Harry." Professor Lupin rushed to his side and peered into his eyes, lifting one eyelid at a time. He spoke his name a few more times and finally Harry opened his eyes on his own. "Oh thank God."

Lupin straightened up and walked to a cabinet and pulled several huge bars of honeydukes chocolate out of a compartment. He started breaking it up and handed a chunk first to Harry, then to Ron and Hermione on either side of him and asked Hermione to pass it out to the rest of the class as he walked over and gave Mia a particularly large piece and a weak smile. He asked everyone to take a seat on the floor while they ate their chocolate and he asked Ron to take Harry up to the hospital wing. Harry started to protest but Lupin silenced him with a look.

Once Harry and Ron were gone, and the rest of the disheveled students were sitting munching on their chocolate, Lupin walked to the front of the room and sat on the arm of a chair weakly. "Now who can tell me what that was that the bogart turned into last?" He looked around the room and Hermione slowly put her hand in the air. "Yes, Miss Granger."

"It was a dementor, sir." She hesitantly put her hand back down and took another bite of her chocolate.

"Good. Now who can tell me what a dementor can do?"

This time Seamus just called out. "It makes everything cold and dark."

A Ravenclaw girl muttered out as well "It sucks all the happiness out of the room."

Professor Lupin just nodded as a few more students spoke out what they had felt. Mia decided to join in and spoke up as well. "It leaves you with nothing good inside and makes you relive all the bad that has ever been in your life. Just the bad." Mia kept her eyes on the chocolate in her hand and didn't look up.

"Exactly." Lupin paused and sighed deeply before he continued. "Have you noticed that different people have different reactions to a dementor?" They knew he was talking about Harry, but the class just nodded. "It's because we have all experienced different things. We all have had bad times in our lives, but for some of us, our pasts have been horrific, and the dementor makes you relive that all." Lupin continued on explaining that for some people who have had so much bad in their lives this could become overwhelming. It didn't make that person weak, on the contrary, it makes them the bravest person in the world every time they wake up and get out of bed willing to face another day. He reminded them that there was no shame in what the Dementors brought them, but to remember to always be sensitive to each other's horrors, whether they were large or small.

After feeding the class loads more chocolate, he let them go. As the students left the room Mia could hear admiration in their voices. Professor Lupin's class hadn't gone as well as it should have, but the horror they had all faced together, the horror that Lupin had saved them from had made them all look at him with awe as they walked past the chair he sat on. Mia waited until the rest of the class had left before she walked to the front of the room. "Sir?"

Lupin had been looking down at his shoes deep in thought as the students walked out. He looked up at Mia when she spoke, and that small smile formed at the corner of his mouth when he saw her. "Yes Miss Black?"

"I, Sir I just wanted to apologize for-"

Lupin cut her off mid sentence. "No, it is I that should apologize. I wasn't thinking. I knew Harry probably had fears that would be a bit overwhelming for the class, but I forgot that you might as well." Mia didn't like this answer; he spoke like he knew she was weak, but forgot so it was all his fault. Lupin saw the look of confusion on her face and tried to explain. "Professor Dumbledore explained to me what happened over the summer with the Dementors. If I had been faced with that many, I think I would still be living too terrified to ever leave my room again." He smiled at her trying to get her to smile back.

Mia had a feeling this was the person who could teach her a patronus charm, and as he smiled at her, she knew he would be willing. "Professor, what is your happy thought?"

Lupin looked startled. "What do you mean my happy thought?"

"I read up on the patronus charm after I was attacked this summer and it said that the patronus charm was very difficult and that it required a person to focus on a happy thought as they cast it. With how many Dementors were in the room I felt like it probably would have needed to be an extremely happy thought to make all of them go away." Mia realized at the last second how personal the question was that she had asked him, and she dropped her eyes not wanting to watch as he dismissed her question or lied.

Lupin just looked incredulously at the girl in front of him. How bold to ask something like that. He smiled as he thought back to his happy thought, could he tell her? It couldn't hurt. "I think about the first time I ever held my Goddaughter."

Mia raised her eyes up again, that had sounded like an honest answer. "You have a Goddaughter? Do you see her often?" Mia realized she didn't know much about this man, but she wanted to. He had gone to school with her father, been friends with him. And he was always nice to her, seemed to have genuine care in his eyes when he saw her.

"Yes, her father and I were great friends when we were in school. Unfortunately I haven't really had as much opportunity as I would like to spend time with her over the years."

Mia knew she was prying, but she wanted to know. Why did she suddenly feel slightly jealous of this girl she had never met? Mia just wished she had a father figure who wanted to spend time with her. "Why don't you get to see her? You just started teaching at Hogwarts this year right? So you must have seen her more before then."

The teacher smiled at the inquisitive young girl. "Her parents were taken away from her tragically at a young age, and even though I am the legal Godfather, the ministry made some bad decisions and decided that it would be best if the girl lived somewhere else."

Lupin now had a look of sadness on his face, and Mia felt bad for bringing up an obviously tender subject. So she decided to change it to a subject she was even more curious about. "You knew my father in school. You were in the same year, and the same house together."

Lupin's face changes instantly to shock, replaced quickly with sorrow and regret. "I did know him."

Excitement radiated inside of Mia. Finally, some answers. Professor Lupin always seemed willing to give away information. There was no way he would deny her this. "Forgive me Sir, but you see, I know nothing of him. People always seem scared to talk to me about him, but I have to know. It's my right to know."

"I can't. I'm sorry Mia."

He had used her nickname, and Mia had heard it. He wasn't always the professional teacher like McGonagall. He really cared about his students. "Please Professor."

Lupin dropped his head in defeat. What could he tell her? He slowly lifted his head in determination. "In school, when he was young. Your father was a great man and a true friend. I-" He paused. "I owe so much to your father. You are very much like him. You have his determination, and his courage, the way you stood down that dementor. He was a great man."

"Was? You say it like he died. Why did he kill all those muggles?"

Lupin rubbed his forehead. He looked tired after the class they had just had. "I say was, because he did die. The man I knew in school, my friend, is not the same man who is out there right now. Your father is gone, and I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to be haunted by the ghost of him."

"What did he do? No one will give me any details and I need to know."

"I can't tell you that Mia, It's too much." He shook his head with his eyes closed as if trying to get rid of what was in his head

"Please Sir! If you don't tell me who will?" Mia needed to know, she had to know, and she was so close to the truth.

"NO!" Lupin's Voice rang out loud and clear. Mia froze. She didn't mean to push him that hard. His anger seemed to disperse out of him and his face softened to a frown of sadness. "I am sorry, but you should just remember him as he was. It does not matter what he did after he changed. That man isn't your father. And that's the end of it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, what do you think? I know her bogart isn't super original, but like, really. What is scarier than a swarm of dementors? If you were attacked by them, and had the potential to be attacked again, wouldn't that be terrifying? Add to it the lingering knowledge that horror is what your father lives with every day, and her childhood trauma, somewhat similar to Harry... yeah, something that can suck out your soul is pretty frikkin terrifying.


	73. Eavesdropping

Mia had left the staffroom feeling horrible. She had been the reason for the dementor/bogart that had ruined Lupin's first class and now here she was pressing him for personal information. She didn't understand why she felt so comfortable around this man. Ever since the first time she had met him in Diagon Alley she had felt like he was someone she needed to know, and instead she was over stepping her place and becoming a student Lupin would want to avoid.

Mia avoided the Great Hall and skipped her dinner as well not feeling up to being around any students especially after word got around of what had happened with the bogart. Mia had gone straight to the library and started working on her homework. It was just over an hour before Gabe had tracked her down. Mia still didn't understand where he was disappearing to so randomly but being that she had her own secrets she didn't press him.

Gabe slipped into a chair next to Mia at her usual table in the back of the library. As he slipped off his bag he handed Mia a napkin with a few roast beef sandwiches stuffed inside making sure that Madam Pince wouldn't see. 

"You shouldn't skip meals. You are skinny enough as it is." Mia thanked to him for the sandwich and told him that she didn't really have much of an appetite. "Well then in that case... Eat them anyways or I'm telling McGonagall."

Mia smiled at her friend's concern, and started slowly munching on one of the sandwiches. "Did you..?" Mia couldn't bring herself to ask Gabe, but he understood completely.

"Hear about the bogart? Yeah, Hermione filled me in. Merlin Mia, it sounds horrible. I'm so sorry I wasn't there."

At this Mia looked up at him, the bogart completely forgotten. "That's right. Seriously Gabe, where did you get off to? You were so excited for class, then you just ran off again."

Gabe's demeanor immediately changed from the caring friend into a nervous suspicious mess. He broke eye contact and started rifling through his school bad as if looking for something to make Mia forget her question. "Uh... Well, I mean."

Mia waved away his stammered response. "Forget about it." She really didn't want to pressure him to explain his secret. He would tell her eventual if he wanted to, and if he didn’t... "But I bet Hermione couldn't tell you the conversation I had with Lupin after class, since she wasn't there." Mia changed the subject for her friends benefit.

She really didn't want to press him, and as soon as she started telling him about her conversation with Professor Lupin he seemed to relax. Gabe had seemed surprised at the way Lupin had been willing to talk about such personal things with Mia, so Mia told him about the times she had met him before their second year, and in Diagon Alley. She also told him how she had seen the picture of him in her father's school picture.

After expressing her frustration about Lupin not telling her more about her father, Gabe looked a little concerned. "But still, he is a teacher and I don't know if it is really his place to tell you. I mean, wouldn't that be a little weird having that sort of relationship with a teacher?"

"Gabe, you forget who you are talking to," Mia said in a flat voice. "Hogwarts is my legal guardian. Professor McGonagall has been the most supportive female in my life and Dumbledore and I have often had tea over chess games as he tells me old stories just as if he is a grandfather. Professor Sprout teaches me how to cook when she is bored with the summer, and Flitwick loans me fantasy novels. I live at the castle year around. My school life and home life are the same thing. It's not like I have a father in the ministry I can owl home to when I have a personal question." In a flash Mia's face changed from troubled fury and was lit up with excitement.

Gabe grew worried by her excitement. Her plans weren't always the safest. Before Gabe had a chance to ask, Mia filled him in on what idea had made her stop. "Gabe, I need you to ask your dad what my father really did! He can find out working for the ministry."

Gabe looked apologetically at Mia. "I don't think that will work. He works as an ambassador, they have no reason to tell him anything, even if he did agree to look into it."

Gabe's doubt didn't stop Mia. "Not if he starts showing too much concern for his own son's well being. I bet he could get it out of someone."

"Mia, if it's really bad I doubt my dad would even tell me. I don't know how I could even convince him!"

Mia thought hard for a moment. "Tell him there are a few other kids who know and are making fun of me and I'm getting confused because no one ever really told me the story. It is  _ my _ life after all, I have a right to know! When I asked Professor McGonagall over the summer she just recited the Daily Prophet and Draco wouldn't tell me! Not even Lupin, and I felt like he was... different somehow. And if no one in my life cares enough to tell me themselves then I have to take matters into my own hands."

* * *

Professor Lupin had gone looking for Mia after dinner. He had seen her missing from meals all day and was beginning to worry that he had been too hard on her. When he had arrived at the library he hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but when he heard what Mia was discussing with her friend Lupin's heart was immediately filled with guilt and he hid behind a bookshelf.  _ "And if no one in my life cares enough to tell me themselves then I have to take matters into my own hands."  _ Lupin felt horrible. Mia was seeking out answers and not even her Godfather (the one man who was responsible for her) was brave enough to give them to her.

Before the boy with her had a chance to respond Remus straightened up and took a deep breath gathering his confidence. He walked out from behind the bookcase and made as if discovering Mia for the first time. "Miss Black, might I have a word?" Mia looked up startled hoping Lupin hadn't heard what she had said. She looked at Gabe and he gave a reassuring smile. Mia stood up to follow Professor Lupin out of the library but he paused and turned back to Gabe. "It's Adewumi, isn't it?"

Startled Gabe responded. "Uh, yeah."

"I missed you in class today. I didn't get a note excusing you and wanted to make sure everything was alright."

"Oh, uh, yes sir. I am doing much better."

"And the reason you missed my class?"

Gabe looked from Lupin and then back to Mia. "I, uh, was in the bathroom." Gabe showed scarlet through his dark skin and his eyes dropped in embarrassment.

Lupin nodded at the boy slightly embarrassed himself for asking. "Right, I understand. Next time please make sure you get a note from Madam Pomfrey. I am sure you can get one of your classmates to fill you in on what you missed." And with that Lupin turned and left the library leading Mia through the castle towards his office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting real!! Will Lupin tell Mia everything?


	74. Tea

Professor Lupin seemed to be extremely deep in thought and slightly nervous and didn't say a word to her until they were safely in his office and he was pouring tea. "I apologize, I only have tea bags at the moment." Mia awkwardly took her tea nodding that she didn't mind as she wondered intently as to what Lupin could want from her. Maybe he was going to talk about how Mia had acted earlier. She had been extremely rude and disrespectful asking him to tell her about her father like that. Professor Lupin was her teacher, despite the strange connection she felt to him. She shouldn't have forgotten her place, he was right to yell at her and refuse to tell her what she had asked.

Mia lowered her tea and spoke up before the teacher had settled himself with his own tea. "Sir, I wanted to apologize. I was completely out of line with my questioning today."

Professor Lupin looked up at Mia from his tea and sat down heavily in his seat. He shook his head slowly before he spoke. "You my dear Mia, are an amazing person." Mia looked up with surprise and confusion at his words. He met her eyes kindly and continued. "Here I am asking you to tea so I can properly apologize to you, and you beat me to it." Mia still looked confused. "Mia, I am the one who owes an apology. I am your teacher, and it is my responsibility to make sure you are fully informed. You asked me for information and I was too afraid and too selfish to give it to you."

"Why afraid sir?"

Lupin thought for a moment. "Before I answer that, and I promise I will, answer me this instead. Why do you want to know your father's crimes so badly? They are not something to be heard lightly."

Mia thought for a few moments on how best to present herself, then she dropped all sense of facade and spoke from her heart. "People are always saying all these snide comments about him or speaking of him and the things he's done with such horror and then they turn to me and act as though their words shouldn't have any effect on me. And those are the people I respect. Everyone else just looks at me with terror and jumps out of the way when they see me in the halls. How can people tell me how much I am like him one minute and then disgrace him and call him horrible things the next?"

Remus felt so heartbroken listening to his little girl, he wished he could just reach across and scoop her up into his arms and hum her to sleep like he did when she was a baby. But he couldn't do that. Mia still didn't even know who he was to her. "When people say bad things about your father it doesn't reflect on to you at all. You are not your father."

"But you don't get it! He’s my father, he made me. Half of who I am is from him. I feel like all of that evil, all of that horror is right here." Mia was holding her hand a few inches away from her chest. "All of that evil is right here. It's not in me yet, but I feel like it's looming so close, trying to get inside of me." Lupin tried to interrupt and assure Mia that she wasn't evil but she stopped him. "No, please, let me finish. I have to get this out. My dad wasn't always evil, you said it yourself. I have pictures of him when he was my age and he looked so carefree. If someone like that can turn so bad then why can't I? How am I safe to grow into a healthy person if I don't even have the knowledge of my father's mistakes to learn from? I feel like if I knew what all he had really done then I would be better prepared to protect myself from ever going down the same road as him. I just have to know what he did, how he got to the place where he could do it."

Lupin was torn inside of himself. He knew he had to tell her, but he didn't want her weighed down by any of this any longer. He wished he could take all of her troubles and all of her struggles away from her and carry them himself. He sighed deeply and leaned forward in his chair. "And that is exactly why I am afraid to tell you." Mia looked up at the weary man with hope. "You ask how he could have gotten to the place where he did what he did, but honestly I have absolutely no idea. Before that moment, before I knew he was guilty, you could have stood in front of me and told me what he was about to do and I would have said you had lost your mind. Above all else he was such a loyal friend."

"But sir, what did he do?"

Lupin looked down at his little girl and saw the one year old baby he swore to protect. "Are you sure you want to know? This is something you can never unlearn."

Mia thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes. I need to."

Lupin nodded then leaned back in his chair, tea forgotten in his hand. He would tell the truth, but not all of it, not yet. He closed his eyes as if remembering, and told his tale. "When we were in school, I was sorted into Gryffindor house with three other boys. Sirius Black, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew." Mia let out a small gasp recognizing the last name as the wizard she had read in the Profit as the one he had killed with all the muggles. Lupin noticed her reaction. "Yes, the same Pettigrew he killed much later. But in school, we all quickly became the best of friends, doing everything together, supporting each other at all times. Sirius and James were too of the biggest pranksters this school has ever seen. They were both wickedly bright, top of the class. I was usually their calming force, keeping them out of the worst of trouble, and Peter... Well he was along for the ride.”

"In those days Voldemort was gaining power and our world was quickly being split into two sides. Those who followed him and those who stood against. Dumbledore was leading the force against him and James, Peter, Sirius and I were standing in the front lines. But the fighting and the danger didn't keep us from living lives and remembering what we were fighting for. Right in the middle of it all our side was still getting married and having kids. James and Lily had Harry, Sirius and Cassy had you. Even Frank and Alice Longbottom had a little boy."

Mia was surprised to hear that Neville's parents had fought Voldemort as well. She silently wondered what happened to them and why Neville lived with his grandmother as Lupin continued. 

"Shortly after Harry was born something happened, and Voldemort began gunning for the Potters with more strength than ever before. Dumbledore found out through an inside source that Voldemort was going to kill them so he convinced them to go into hiding with the Fidelius Charm. This is a very powerful magic that hides a secret inside of a person. This person is called a secret keeper. The plan was simple, as long as the secret keeper didn't tell Voldemort where the Potters were hiding; he could be looking straight at them and never see them.”

"We knew there was someone on our side leaking information to Voldemort. It was becoming more and more clear as we were losing ground in the war. So when the Potters went into hiding Dumbledore tried to convince James to let him be the secret keeper, but James wouldn't hear it. It would be Sirius, it would always be Sirius. He and James were more than friends, they were brothers. Best men at each other's weddings, James even named Sirius as Harry's Godfather. That would make you two brother and sister of sorts. That is if Harry ever knew, but it would crush him to know." Lupin seemed to freeze up at this point. He opened his eyes and stared straight at the sealing. "Because the truth of the matter is James and Lily Potter would still be alive if Sirius hadn't betrayed them to Voldemort."

Mia couldn't believe this. This was the truth of it. Her father had betrayed his best friend to Voldemort. "He told Voldemort where to find them, and then when it backfired and Voldemort was weakened he went on the run. That's when Peter caught up to him, the foolish man. Peter was always horrible at dueling." Lupin was shaking his head at the memory, but then he sat up suddenly and set down the tea in his hand. "Now Mia, I want you to listen to me." He placed both of his hands on her shoulders. "You are NOT your father. What ever changed in him, whatever went wrong, that is not in you. For as much as you have his brains and his courage and his stubbornness and his strength, you also have your mother. One look at you and it is clear you have her eyes, her heart, and her love. There was not an ounce of meanness or cruelty in your mother. She was the balancing force to your father and she is inside of you too. Never forget that. Never."

Professor Lupin still held Mia by the shoulders peering into her eyes. His expression was so full of a desperate hope, and something else Mia wasn't familiar with, but had seen occasionally in Gabe's eyes and it warmed her heart. Mia nodded to her professor to assure him that she wouldn't forget who she was and the tired man released her looking slightly uncomfortable. He n started adding more sugar to his tea.

Mia thought to herself for a second. She didn't want this talk with Professor Lupin to end on such a strange note. "Will you teach me how to cast a patronus charm?"

Lupin's frown fell away almost instantly and was replaced by a big smile of disbelief. "That is a very hard charm to learn. Most full grown wizards cannot produce one, and you're only thirteen."

"I like a challenge"

Lupin looked at the young girl so much like her father in her determination. He agreed to it. Mia would meet with him after dinner on Fridays, and they would practice the charm.

When Mia left the classroom she was bouncing with excitement. She headed back to the library and found Gabe working on an essay for Arithmancy. Mia sat down but it took Gabe a moment to notice her over his complex number chart.

Finally Gabe leaned back in his chair and jumped when he saw her. Ma laughed at his shock and once he had stopped glaring at her, Mia told Gabe everything she had discussed with Lupin. Gabe looked at Mia with sympathy. "So your dad..."

"Is the reason Harry has no parents," Mia finished for him. "It makes more sense why he would be after Harry now. Pay back for defeating his master."

Gabe shook his head with disbelief. "Goodness Mia, I am so sorry."

Mia shrugged. "Draco was right. If Harry finds out, he will never forgive me."

"What your father did has nothing to do with you. Harry knows that. Don't worry about it, it will only stress you out more. Instead just focus on your dementor lessons. That's so cool he is teaching you. I'm so jealous, you will have to teach me everything."

Mia smiled thinking about the chance to learn the enchantment. It was what she needed, the assurance that if a dementor ever came near her again she could fight it. She would conquer that fear and then she would be stronger. Maybe even strong enough to forget her father all together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we have it, Mia knows what her father did. Lupin didn't tell her everything, I wonder if he will? How do you think Harry will take it when he finds out what Mia's dad did?


	75. Morning paper

Saturday morning came, and with it there was a general sense of peace in the castle. Mia woke up extra early, excited for her breakfast in the empty entrance hall. Among her toast and pumpkin juice the morning paper was delivered by a rather rude but punctual owl and Mia took her time eating before she unrolled it. A few students and teachers soon made their way into the great hall. Mia knew most would choose to sleep late into the morning giving her more time to linger over her breakfast.

Professor Lupin walked into the great hall, and gave Mia a warm smile as he made his way to the head table. They hadn't spoken since Thursday night, but there was a peace between them, as if they knew each other better. Remus sat down at the staff table and poured himself a cup of tea as Professor Sprout struck up a casual conversation with him. He kept one eye on Mia as she ate her breakfast and casualty unrolled her morning paper.

Professor Sprout was telling him about a group of young Bouncing Bulbs she had collected for her fourth year class when Remus noticed Mia stiffen in her chair; he could sense something was off. Remus watched Mia closely as she read her paper. The girl stood up and threw the paper at the ground walking out of the room, anger radiating off of her.

Remus stood up, giving no excuse to the other Professor as he strode across the room and picked up the paper. On the first page he saw it clearly. 

SIRIUS BLACK SPOTTED. 

Some Muggle had sighted him in the small village of Dufftown. The muggle, thinking him an average murderer had called the muggle police, and Black was gone by the time the Ministry had arrived. Dufftown wasn't far from Hogwarts. Filled with anger Remus balled up the paper and stormed out of the great hall in search of his Goddaughter. He was so angry at Sirius. It wasn't enough that he had already abandoned the girl, but now he would go on haunting her with his presence.

Remus' heart broke as he thought what she could possibly be thinking. Did she think her father was coming for her and it scared her? No, that was rage he saw on her when she left, not fear. Did she know about the rumors that he would be coming to Hogwarts for Harry, for revenge? The Ministry had tried to keep those quiet, but that never really worked did it? Poor Mia, it was clear now her father was coming to the school, and that news would isolate her even more from the rest of the student population. He had to find her, he had to tell her everything would be ok.

He looked everywhere in the castle he could think of, he even looked in a few places he was sure were only known to him and the other Marauders, but Mia was after all the daughter of a Marauder. He didn't find her, wherever he looked, for Mia didn't want to be found.

* * *

Mia sat on the plush carpeting in the room of requirement. She was staring blankly at the wall, her mind empty of all thought her eyes red and puffy, but finally dry. She had been so mad when she read the article. Mad because her father had to escape and give her classmates another reason to hate her. Mad because he was a traitor of the worst kind and had abandoned her for it. Mad because she would never get a chance to speak to him, to be held by him, to be his little girl. And most of all she was mad at herself for having those desires, for deep down still being a little girl alone and crying because she would never have a father, never be loved and cared for and protected by him.

As she fled the great hall she had felt trapped in the castle, she couldn't leave by demand of the headmaster, and fear of the dark creatures living on the edge of the grounds, so she had sought solitude somewhere else. When she had reached the seventh floor she was so mad as she entered the room, and then her anger had turned into a deep sadness and she had fallen to the floor and cried, harder than she ever had in her life. And after she had cried she had sat there feeling empty. She needed something to do. Mia stood up and straightened out her robes. Her eyes had been dry for a while now so she made her way out of the room of requirement and headed up a different staircase.

Mia pushed open the door to the hospital wing and made her way in. There were a few student's lying in cots with the curtains pulled shut. Mia saw Madam Pomfrey hustle over to her with a worried look. "Oh Miss Black, you aren't feeling under the weather as well are you?"

Mia shook her head. "Actually Madam Pomfrey, classes have been going a week and I feel strange not coming here every day to help out anymore. I know with classes going I probably won't have time to brew or anything, but I was wondering if I could still help out once in awhile. I already know all about the potions you use after all."

Madam Pomfrey smiled warmly to Mia. She had grown fond of her over the summer. "I would be delighted to have your help. Now I am going to check on Miss Lovegood in bed four. Put on a smock from the closet and bring me a pepperup potion." Mia jumped up with excitement and ran to the closet in the corner. She took off her robes and hung them up, pulling a white smock off of a hook and tied it over jumper and jeans. Then Mia went to the potion cabinet and took down a pepperup potion. The cabinet wasn't organized very well, but Mia knew the sight of it by heart after brewing it so often.

Mia took the potion over to bed four and stepped around the curtain. Lying in the bed was a young girl with white blond hair and big eyes that were currently closed in obvious pain. Madam Pomfrey was casting spells over the girl, and with each spell a colorful glow would appear. When Mia appeared Madam Pomfrey started explaining what she was doing. "With each diagnostic spell I cast, the color reveals an ailment in the body and the location of the illness. Red means fatigue, green is poison, blue represents the blood stream, yellow the mind."

Mia tried to pay attention to the colors and noticed a purply color and a pink color followed by orange, red, turquoise and a very light leaf green. When she was finished Madam Pomfrey frowned with her hands on her hips. "Miss Lovegood, what on earth did you say happened to you again." The girl in the bed tightened in pain, holding her stomach, a look of fear in her eyes.

"Miss Lovegood!"

The girl opened her eyes still looking worried. "It was just a prank."

"Miss Lovegood, last term you came in with a broken wrist saying your shoes tied themselves as you were walking down the staircase, and last winter you had frostbite on your toes because you said your shoes kept running away and you had to spend Herbology barefoot. Now tell me the truth, are other student's bullying you?"

The young girl shook her head. "My dad says they just don't understand how special I am but that when they do I will have more than enough friends."

Mia recognized the girl now. She had been sorted into Ravenclaw the year before and Gabe said she was a little  _ off. _ He said that the others in their house hadn't accepted her very well, Ravenclaw was rather well known for having the brightest, as well as the most eccentric students in the school being that genius and insanity, were usually right next door, but this girl apparently had a knack for bluntly saying whatever came into her peculiar mind. And that wasn’t always the sort of thing that won you friends.

Madam Pomfrey huffed at the girl's words. "Xenophilius! The foolish man. I was in school with your father you know, and your mother. She was a brilliant witch. We were quite close. I don't suppose you will tell me which students did this to you this time, will you? No? Didn't think so. Well listen close, if you ever need to talk, I will be here." Madam Pomfrey told Mia the best potions to counteract the girl's condition and sent Mia off to get them. When Mia got back she gave Madam Pomfrey the potions and watched the girl take them. Madam Pomfrey left when another student came in the hospital wing. Mia stayed to watch the girl take her sleeping draft.

After draining the flask, the girl looked up at Mia. "You know, I'm not afraid of you."

Mia smiled. "That's because unlike most of the other Ravenclaws, you actually have a brain." This made the girl smile, so Mia decided to go another route with the girl. "You know, I'm sort of ok that my father is a murderer and that most of the school hates me. Do you know why?"

The younger girl nodded. "Because most people won't even talk to you, so the ones that do you know are true friends. You can just be yourself and know they will be ok with it. I think that's what my Dad meant when he said eventually I will have more than enough friends. Because true friends who like you despite everything else in the world are worth more than anyone else."

Mia smiled, "Exactly. If you want, I can be your friend. After all, us outcasts should stick together." The other girl nodded and smiled as the sleeping draft took effect. Mia found Madam Pomfrey and continued shadowing her, learning what potions to give to what patents.

Mia soon found healing was an art much like brewing a potion. One had to mix healing spells and potions, but also had to fully know how the potions and spells would react with each other to make a cure and not a poison or explosion. When it was time for dinner the medi witch dismissed Mia. As she was hanging up her smock and retrieving her robes, Mia decided to sneak an extra pepperup potion for Gabe. She knew that if he was sick it would help, but if he wasn't sick maybe she could use it to ask him what was really wrong.

Helping in the hospital wing had helped Mia forget the morning's news but Mia still didn't feel like facing the students who would all know her father was coming closer to the school so instead she fetched her school work and went to the library. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday! May your turnip prices be low, and your Monday far away. 
> 
> Any Luna lovers out there?? 
> 
> Be ready for tomorrows chapter guys! Things happen!! Final guesses on what Gabe's animal form is. The winner gets an imaginary prize ❤️


	76. Room of Mirrors

After dinner students started filing into the library to study and before long Gabe showed up as Mia suspected he would, only this time something was different.

Gabe walked up to Mia's table in the library and sat down. Without pulling her eyes off of her book Mia handed him the pepperup potion. "Here, this will make you feel better. Pepperup potion, I made it over the summer."

I can't take that." Gabe said it gravely.

"Professor Snape checked everything I made, it's good quality, I wouldn't poison you." Mia kept her eyes on her book pretending like she was barely paying him attention hoping he would say something, tell her what was wrong.

When Gabe spoke again he had a strange sound in his voice, like he was afraid. "I need to talk to you about something important." Mia tore her eyes away from her Arithmancy book and looked at Gabe. He looked nervous and jumpy. There was a bit of sweat on his forehead and his eyes were filled with fear.

Mia immediately jumped up and walked over to him, peering into his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Gabe had his right hand buried in his robes and slowly pulled it out. Mia looked down at his hand with shock. His normally large hand was smaller and covered with deep chocolate brown fur. His nails were thick and white. Gabe's hand wasn't a human hand. It was a paw.

Mia looked up into Gabe's eyes searching for answers. He just looked back with fear and regret. "I wanted to surprise you, but... I keep getting stuck. And I'm almost out of potions." Mia saw in his eyes a deep worry. "I'm going to die aren't I? Gosh I was so stupid!" He bowed his head and tried to cover his face with his hands, before remembering he no longer had two hands, and reburied the paw in the fold of his robes.

Mia's mind blew up with realization. "You're an Animagus! Gabe! Why didn't you tell me!"

"Shhhhh! not so loud. I'm not an animagus yet! Like I said I keep getting stuck. Come on Mia! Tell me. You did this too didn't you? I need help! Or at the very least I need to find a bathroom to take the next potion, my paw is starting to get tingly." Gabe showed her a vial of clear potion.

Mia realized the danger Gabe really was in and cold chills rushed over her. She quickly packed her bag up and gestured for him to follow her. Everything was making sense now. This was why Gabe kept running off for an hour or more at a time. Just like Mia had, Gabe kept accidentally changing, but unlike Mia he wasn't forcing those animal body parts back into human form, he was just taking the potion each time and transforming for an hour. If he ran out of potions he would be dead.

Mia led Gabe up to the seventh floor and down a deserted corridor to where she knew the room of requirement to be and summoned the room of mirrors she had often used. She took Gabe's hand and led him over to the door and opened it. The solid stone room was lined on three sides by pure mirrors. There were plush carpets on the floor and an overstuffed couch in the middle of the room.

"It's different this time. What is this place?" Gabe stepped in looking around with wonder.

"It's the Room of Requirement. It is whatever you need it to be, just when you need it. I found a house elf who actually knew the legend of it. Come on." Mia led him over to the couch and sat down next to him, turning so that she was facing him. "Ok, now give me your paw." Mia smiled at Gabe, he had a paw! How much fun they could have if this worked out! But the boy just looked back at Mia with worry. "Come on." Mia held out her hand. Reluctantly Gabe lifted his right paw with a look of sharp pain at the movement and placed it on Mia's hand. Mia held it tight. His hand was already turning cold from a lack of circulation. She took his other hand in hers as well as she spoke softly, trying to calm him with her voice. "Have you managed to transform it back on your own yet?" Gabe shook his head. "When did you first take it?"

Gabe looked at her with a sad smile. "On your birthday, after we said goodnight."

Mia did the calculations in her head. "Almost three weeks. How many potions do you have left?"

Gabe looked ashamed. "Four."

Mia's stomach fell out. "Four? You only have four left?"

Gabe winced at the fear in her voice. "You don't have to tell me."

Mia took a deep breath. "No, it's ok. We can do this. You can do this. Close your eyes." Mia relaxed her shoulders and squeezed Gabe's paw lightly. She took Gabe's left hand in hers as well, holding both hands as she spoke. "Ok. Take a deep breath." Gabe did. "Empty your mind of everything. Let go of the worry and the fear and the pain. Forget the school work and the classes. Just breathe."

Gabe took another deep breath and let it out slowly. Mia felt the bottom of Gabe's human left hand with her fingers, rubbing his palm. "Feel your hand, feel the sensation of my hand on your smooth skin. Hairless skin." Mia continued rubbing his palm and in addition, started rubbing his paw. "Now focus on your paw. Remember the feeling of your long fingers stretching out of your palm. Smooth hairless skin." Mia could feel the fur on Gabe's paw receding, and his fingers slowly began to extend. "Feel my hand with your fingertips. Think about how it feels to stretch out your hand, how it feels to hold a quill." Gabe's paw continued to transform back into a human hand slowly until it looked identical to his left. "Now open your eyes."

Gabe opened his eyes and looked directly into Mia's. She met his warm eyes and smiled holding up his human hand for him to see. "You did it."

Gabe smiled big and pulled Mia in for a hug, "No! You did it! Oh Mia I thought I was hopeless!"

Mia laughed. "No, I just coached you. You're the one who did the transformation." Mia sat back in to the couch. "Now spill. Tell me everything. Why did you do this?"

Gabe smiled crooked. "The first day we spoke, at the quidditch pitch. You had papers on becoming an animagus. It just peaked my interest. I just had to know if you had done it, if you were one. And then as we got to know each other, there were all those signs. Curiosity got the best of me, I had to know. Tell me please."

Mia smiled. "You already know I am. You saw me."

Gabe looked at Mia searching. "You were that tiger."

"Yes."

Gabe sighed in relief finally knowing the secret that had driven him mad for months. "Will you show me?"

Mia laughed. "Not tonight. Tonight you have to work on your form. We aren't going to bed until you turn your hand back into a paw and then back into a hand."

Gabe sighed. "Can't I just take the potion?"

"Gabe, you have to be able to do this, you have to completely transform once fully into your animal form and then back to a human. This is how you practice. Then you only take the potion if you truly get stuck. Now, you tell me. What is your animal?" Mia smiled up at Gabe knowingly. She knew what sort of paw that was but she wanted to hear him say it.

"I'm a wolf."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So did you guess right on what Gabe would turn into? There were a few clues along the way, his barking laugh, him wolfing down food, ect :] Not crazy original, but I think you all will like how it plays out.
> 
> So in other news, I just finished the 4th draft of my book and sent it back to my editor for its next round of edits! 🎉  
>  I also have the cover finalized and am waiting on the maps. I'm so close to being ready to publish, but it feels like time is slipping by so slowly. All of your reviews and feedback here make me so happy and have been helping with the wait. Either way, it should be available before the end of summer 🤞so just a few more months! Anyone else have any personal projects they are working on?


	77. Wolves and wolf like men

The next week went by slowly for Mia. She loved her new classes and enjoyed the work she did in ancient runes. All of her free time not doing school work was spent with Gabe helping him get his transformations under control. She still refused to show him her form, promising she would show him as soon as he was able to fully transform into wolf form and back again without a potion. 

Whenever Gabe had a partial transformation in classes, he started simply closing his eyes and focusing until he clanged back instead of running off to a bathroom.

The hard part for Gabe seemed to be when Mia would try to get him to transform parts of his body back into a wolf. Mia didn't get it, turning into a tiger had seemed so natural to her, but for Gabe he just couldn't wrap his mind around it. Mia was just relieved he could now transform back without using a potion. At this rate he would be safe much longer. He hadn't used a single potion since Mia had been helping him. Of course there were other reasons Gabe had to get his transformation under control soon. Quidditch practice would be starting up in just a few weeks, and Gabe knew if he had any form slips on his broom, he would surely fall.

Mia was most excited for Friday night, when she would be having her first Dementor lesson with Professor Lupin. She just had to get to Friday first. Thursday came and Mia was relieved knowing she was almost there. She also had to admit she was rather excited for her DADA class. Gabe was doubly excited because this was his first DADA class having missed the first one.

When the students arrived at their classroom and were excited to discover their class once again would be taking place outside of the classroom. As soon as the class was assembled Lupin entered the room and ordered everyone to leave their books and bags, grab their wands, and follow him. He led them down a few staircases and out the front doors into the grounds. Mia breathed out in relief as the sunlight hit her face. This was the first time since the dementor attack that Mia had been allowed out of the castle. Mia wondered if the Defense teacher was aware.

Professor Lupin strutted across the castle grounds with confidence, the class following swiftly in his wake. He looked back often at the class making sure everyone was safe and following promptly. Mia met his eyes on several occasions. As soon as the class was out of the shadow of the castle Professor Lupin spoke up and started drilling the class as they walked. "Now, who can tell me what species live in the great lake? Everyone try to name at least one."

The class began calling out answers, Lupin responding with added knowledge on a particular creature or encouragement to a student who wasn't confident in an answer. When it was Mia's turn, she mentioned a few species of magical plants that lived in the lake. She knew all about them after the paper she did for Professor Sprout her first year. Gabe elbowed her in the side laughing that plants didn't count. Lupin disagreed. "Knowing your surroundings including the plants as well as the magical creatures in a crisis situation is important for anyone wanting to protect themselves. Out of the two plants Miss Black just mentioned, one of them you can eat to stay alive in the wilderness and one of them when put on a gaping wound will stop the bleeding. Do you know which one is which Mr. Adewumi?"

Gabe shut up at the question, not even Hermione knew the answer. Mia was the only one who had done so much extra reading in the subject of Herbology. But to everyone's surprise Neville put his hand in the air knowing the answer. Lupin gave Neville an extra five points for knowing such an advanced question. "Conquering Bogart's, knowing your plants, Mr. Longbottom, I think you would do quite well as an Auror someday. It is in your blood after all." Neville blushed and put his head down and Gabe just sulked along. It was his dream to be an Auror.

When they reached the lake Lupin started up on his lecture about knowing your surroundings and telling the students about a few of the more interesting creatures who lived there. Mia was distracted when she heard a howl way too close to the class. The howl was a call to her, there was a breeze in the air and the wolves could smell her. They missed her and wanted to see her, know she was ok with all of the strange dark creatures surrounding the castle. Mia tried to call out to her with her mind and tell them to stay back but she still wasn't very good at it. Especially from a distance.

There was a second howl, just on the other side of the trees. Lupin stopped talking and the whole class stared at him. There was a small fear in some of the students' eyes who had noticed the howl. "Class, I want everyone to go around the lake to Professor Hagrid's hut." The first of the Pack came out of the woods and a few of the girls screamed in fear. "Quietly! I can stop them if I need to, but I don't want to hurt them. Now _go_." The class started moving away, some of the more fearful, at a fast run.

Mia stood in place not moving, Gabe tugging at her sleeve. "Gabe! It's the Pack, they just wanted to see me, they won't hurt us." The wolves spotted Mia and took off at a run for her, it was only Fleetfoot, Bearchaser, and Pounce, but now that pounce was full grown they were easily the largest wolves in the Pack. Mia could distinctly hear Pounce saying _Dog pile!_ with joy as he ran at her.

Lupin ran in front of Gabe and Mia blocking them from the charging wolves. "I said go! NOW!"

He raised his wand and Mia jumped at his arm pulling it down. "No! Don't hurt them, they are friends!" The Professor didn't seem to believe her words and tried to shake her off of his wand arm. Mia knew she sounded like a crazy person and instead let go of his arm and got in front of him blocking his attack and running for the wolves.

Lupin just looked after his insane Goddaughter and tried to think up the best spell to stop her and save her at the same time. "Mia come back here!"

Gabe saw his train of thought and thinking like the rational Ravenclaw tried to explain properly to the Professor. He laid a hand on his wand arm. "Professor Lupin, they won't hurt her. Trust me, she may be crazy, but she's not that crazy. They are kind of like her family, just trust her."

Mia slowed down when Pounce, running the fastest, was only a few feet in front of her. "Oh gosh! Pounce be gentle!" But the full grown wolf was still young, and didn't listen. He smacked into Mia at full force knocking her to the ground, pinning her and licking her face, which from a distance did look quite a bit like mauling. Gabe, no longer so confident in Mia's faith in the wolves took off at a run just to make sure Mia was still breathing, and Lupin followed closely behind. When they arrived at the dog pile Mia was flat on her back with pounce on top of her licking her to death while Bearchaser licked Mia's free hand and Fleetfoot stood watching letting out a deep barking wolf laugh, looking the dignified head wolf.

"Oh gosh! Pounce! I'm clean, I'm clean! Now stop licking me! I missed you too! I'm just a weak human, remember? I need to breath!" Pounce climbed off of Mia's chest and Mia sat up. Bearchaser finally getting a clear shot at her pranced over and gave her a wolfly head but in the chest and an extra lick on the face.

_“You may look human, but you are still Witchpup.”_

Mia laughed, "Yeah, but they don't know that." Mia noticed Lupin and Gabe looking at her with identical looks of worry. She laughed again. "You can breathe you know, I'm fine. Ow. Ok Maybe a little bruised."

Pounce looked down with shame. “ _Sorry.”_

"It's ok Pounce, just maybe not so hard next time." Mia realized she was talking to the wolves in front of Lupin and looked up. Lupin had the strangest look on his face as if he was still puzzling it out.

Gabe just gave Lupin a sympathetic look. "Yeah, she can talk to animals. Don't worry, you get used to it."

Fleetfoot, taking notice of the two men, walked up to Gabe with a deep growl in his throat. When he was only a foot away he let out a loud bark and Gabe jumped a foot in the air. Fleetfoot just let out another wolf laugh with Bearchaser and Punce. Mia started laughing as well. "Looks like he remembers you Gabe."

Gabe realized the wolf was just messing with him again. "Ha ha, real funny, you big fleabag." Gabe immediately realized the irony of his words and Mia fell over laughing at the look on his face. Pounce laid down across Mia's legs in a way so that she could scratch his ears. Fleetfoot on the other hand had switched his attention to Professor Lupin.

_“Witchpup, you didn't tell us you had found Moonwalker.”_

Mia looked at the wolf with confusion. "Moonwalker? What is Moonwalker?" Mia looked past Fleetfoot and realized he was looking and sniffing Professor Lupin. She looked at Lupin and he was staring at the wolf. When he heard Mia talk he looked up at her startled at the word she said.

 _“Moonwalker. The one who told us to look after you. Half man half wolf. But not like this one.”_ He sniffed at Gabe. “ _Moonwalker cannot become wolf whenever he wants. He can only be like wolf under the moon.”_

Mia looked from Gabe to Fleetfoot and back to Lupin. Realization finally coming to her. She looked into Lupin's eyes. She knew what a moon walker was another name for. But it couldn't be. Lupin couldn't be a werewolf. She said the word aloud to herself again. "Moonwalker." And the look in Lupin's eyes told her everything. Color drained from his face. Fear, regret. Mia knew it was true.

Just then, Hagrid the huge game keeper came running around the edge of the lake, carrying a crossbow. He was still a long way off but Mia pushed Pounce off of her legs. "Ok time to go!"

_“But Witchpup it's been too long since we've seen you!”_

"Sorry Pounce, but the man with the crossbow doesn't care." Gabe and Lupin turned and saw Hagrid. Gabe ran towards him to head him off. "Please, you need to go. Fleetfoot, Bearchaser, Pounce, it was so good seeing you." She kissed each one on the head. "I promise to sneak out of the castle and come see you first chance I get! Now get going!"

They barked a last goodbye to her as they ran off back into the forest. As the last tale disappeared among the trees Mia turned and faced Professor Lupin. Their eyes connecting in a moment.

Lupin spoke first. "Sneak out of the castle?" He raised one eyebrow.

Mia just smirked back. "Moon walker?" 

Lupin's face fell and he paled, and Mia realized her mistake. Hagrid finally reached them and spoke to Lupin for a few minutes. He explained the wolves were just curious and had left peacefully. They rejoined with the panicked class and Lupin retold the same story about peaceful curious wolves that left quickly. He resumed his lecture as they walked back to the castle, and told the students to write a page paper on a species of the lake that they found the most interesting. "Yes Mr. Longbottom, it can be a plant."

The class was dismissed and Mia waved Gabe on, telling him she would meet up with him at dinner. Mia stayed sitting at her desk. When the last student left Lupin looked up and asked if Mia wanted tea.

Remus made his way into his office, fear gripping in his stomach. She knew, she had to know, or at least suspect what he was. But he prayed that her staying after class was a sign that she wasn't completely scared away. He gestured for Mia to sit in the overstuffed chair next to the fire and he busied himself making tea and organizing his thoughts.

All this time Remus had been terrified that Mia would find out he was her Godfather in the wrong way and would be scared away or would hate him for leaving her. All this time he had been so terrified she would learn that secret that he completely forgot she might figure out his other secret. The more terrifying secret that would make her never want to come near him again, Godfather or no.

Remus set the cup of tea in front of Mia, as he held his own cup and took his seat across from Mia. Mia seeing he had settled leaned forward eagerly. "So."

Remus lowered his tea to his lap. Ready for the final assessment. "So."

Mia thought of the best place to start. "Does Dumbledore know?"

Lupin let out a breath. "Does he know that I'm a?"

"A werewolf." Mia said the words, threw them into the open not seeing the point in dancing around it.

Lupin looked down, knowing all cards were on the table. Well, most of them. "A werewolf. Yes. He does know. He's known for years."

Mia nodded, leaning back in her chair. "That's pretty cool."

Lupin looked up with shock. Then remembering who he was talking to, he chuckled. "I'm glad one of us thinks so."

Mia shifted in her seat and picked up her tea. "Well not cool as in enjoyable. I've read up on it, and I know that it's not pretty, or glamorous. But in a big picture sort of way, who better to teach our class."

"Unless anyone finds out about it. Students, parents, it would be a mess."

Mia understood where he was going with this. "I won't tell anyone. I trust you. And I trust Dumbledore. I know other people probably won't be as level headed. It's like the wolves, no one would ever believe me if I tried to tell them they were my friends. And I like you. You are a great teacher. I don't want to see you leave so don't worry. I won't tell a soul." Mia smiled reassuringly.

Lupin just looked at the girl a smile creeping across his face. "You are so your father's daughter." Mia frowned in confusion. "When he found out my secret he responded in the exact same way." Lupin closed his eyes and frowned in remembrance." I believe his exact words were 'That's so cool! Can I tell James?'" Lupin opened his eyes again and looked at his Mia Bell. "Like I said before, when we were in school, your father was a great man."

Mia nodded in understanding. Then her eyes lit up with a thought. "That reminds me! Can I tell Gabe?"

Lupin laughed out loud shaking his head. "You trust him that much?"

Mia smiled. "He believes me about the wolves in the forest. He will believe me about the wolf in the castle just the same. Gabe knows everything I do. I would trust him with my life. Besides, he's a Ravenclaw, he comes in handy to have around sometimes."

Remus chuckled and took the first sip of his tea a calculating look in his eye. "So. You can talk to animals?"

Mia left Professor Lupin's office a half hour later. They didn't talk about anything else important. They simply talked. Mia told him about the research they had discovered about her beast speaking abilities. She tried to watch his face when she mentioned the hereditary side of her abilities but he didn't give anything away. If one of her parents were an animagus, maybe he hadn't known. Mia found Gabe in the library, surrounded by a stack of books. She smiled when she sat down and told Gabe everything.

Gabe let out a deep breath. "That is the coolest thing I've heard all week."

Mia laughed. "I thought the exact same thing."

Gabe shook his head. "All I know for sure is I am so jealous of your private Dementor classes even more now." Mia had to admit, she couldn't wait for tomorrow night either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK!! One more layer of secrets pulled back! What do you think?


	78. Happy thoughts

In the north of Scotland, on the edge of a vast forest, a large malnourished shaggy dog paused to rest from its trek. The black dog slumped against the trunk of a tree, panting in the shade of the immense foliage. It had been a long journey to this forest and now all the dog needed to do was cross through the wood to his end destination; an old and hidden castle.

This sounded like an easy task, and it would be if it wasn't for the fact that this forest was filled with creatures out of the average child's nightmares. Centaurs and trolls, giant spiders and even the occasional werewolf. Of course, the last of these didn't worry the dog, for the dog had spent much of its youth with a werewolf in this very forest. The dog had even made the trek from the castle and to the edge of the forest and back again in a single night once.

The dog had been young then, not more than fifteen, and he had been racing a stag. The stag had been his best friend, still would be his best friend had it not been for the rat. The rat had ruined everything. The rat had ratted out the stag and the evil one had killed the stag and the doe. The dog had tried to kill the rat, but the rat had tricked him and gotten away. He had hidden away for twelve years, but now the dog knew where the rat was and he was going there now. He would kill the rat for real this time. And then the stag would be avenged and the dogs work would be done.

No. That wasn't quite right. The dog shook his head, trying to remember another part of the story. The dog shook his head again trying to clear his mind. This time the man shook his head. That was right. He was a man. Sirius Black slumped back against the tree. It had been hard to transform back that time. In Azkaban he had lost so much of himself to the Dementors and since he had been away from them he had spent most of his time as a dog.

He tried to transform back at night, just to remember his own body, but he dreamed horrors at night as a man. When he lost himself as a dog he didn't dream horrors. He let the man go when he was a dog, and it made it easier to heal the parts of his soul the Dementors had eaten. The dog's mind was simple, and easy to make happy. The only downside to this was that the dog forgot things. The dog didn't hold onto the man's responsibilities. The dog forgot important things like the man's daughter. Sirius closed his eyes, trying to hold onto the idea of his daughter. Sirius didn't want his desire for revenge to be stronger than his desire to see his daughter. And it was a sad thought that it sometimes was. 

Thoughts of his daughter were the best and happiest memories, and the Dementors had stolen those first. The pain and horror of James and Lily's death had been the memory that had stuck with him, cultivated in his heart, keeping him sane all those years.

He knew he would never get her back, she was better off with Moony anyways. Moony would raise her right, be as a father to her. His Mia Bell had been too young to remember him, he would just be the traitor to her. Remus would have told her all about it, just as he should have. Sirius knew Remus would think he was guilty, everyone thought he was guilty, but there wouldn't have been any way to convince anyone he was innocent without the rat. It was better his daughter thought him guilty, then she wouldn't want anything to do with him, she wouldn't long for her real father, the traitor. She would embrace her Godfather and grow up as a responsible, honest woman. That was a better fate than Sirius ever could have managed as a parent. But he knew Remus could do it. Remus would be a perfect father.

Sirius turned his head sharply at a sound in the trees. A squirrel. Sirius hadn't eaten anything today. Sirius took a deep breath, and the tired old dog trotted away in the hopes of catching dinner.

* * *

It was Friday night, and Mia scarfed her dinner as fast as she could, much to the surprise of those around her, and left the great hall with a nod to Gabe. They would meet up later in the library and Mia would tell him everything. Lupin hadn't been in the great hall for dinner so she figured the sooner she finished, the sooner she could start her lessons. Mia was so unbelievably excited to get to the DADA classroom where she would be meeting Lupin for her dementor classes. She was so excited in fact, almost skipping to the class, that it wasn't until she burst into the classroom that she remembered she would be facing an actual dementor tonight. She froze as she entered and looked all around her. The room was empty.

Mia wasn't quite sure what she was expecting to see, maybe a dementor sitting in a corner drinking tea, but she was very happy at that moment the room was empty. It wouldn't have done for Lupin or the dementor to see the look of fear on her face as she entered. She let out a deep breath and shook her head trying to clear it of her nonsense. She had to be brave. She didn't want Lupin thinking she couldn't handle this, she wanted to learn the Patronus charm, and she wanted to learn it from Lupin. She wanted to get to know him better, to understand why she felt so comfortable with him.

Just then the classroom door banged open and Mia jumped into the air about a foot. Thankfully Professor Lupin was walking into the classroom backwards, guiding an old trunk through the door with his wand. "Ah Mia- aahhh Miss Black! You are early. I am glad to see you are so eager to learn."

Mia smiled at the worn man, she loved that he sometimes stumbled her name, addressing her by her nickname by accident. It simply increased the feeling Mia got that this man was important to her. "Yes Sir, I saw you weren't at dinner and I couldn't wait." Mia paused, but decided she couldn't hold in her curiosity. "What's in the trunk?"

Lupin cleared the desks to the sides of the class room with a simple flick of his wand and positioned the trunk at the front of the room. "Inside of this chest is our friendly boggart." The trunk jumped as if in response. "And by friendly, I of course mean wild and unfriendly. But it is the same bogart we used in class the other day."

Mia chuckled at this response. She was also very much relieved that she wouldn't be facing a real dementor.

"Now seeing as how the bogart will turn into a dementor when it sees you, you will be able to practice the charm on it without us bringing a real dementor into the room." Lupin nodded at the look of relief on Mia's face. "Think you're ready?"

Mia nodded and pulled out her wand. "Now the incantation is simple you simply point your wand and say  _ Expecto Patronum. _ Say it after me.  _ Expecto Patronum. _ Good, good, that's it exactly. Just say it with force and heart. The hard part is the happy though, as you know. You must pick a happy thought, and hold it in your mind. Hold it, let it fill you and push it out into your magic." Lupin moved out of the middle of the room and gestured for Mia to move closer to the trunk. "Now, think of your happy thought."

Mia closed her eyes for a moment and thought to herself. What made her happy to think about? The first thing in her life she could ever remember making her happy were her childhood birthday presence from the mysterious RJL, a yearly reminder that someone cared about her. Gabe, her best friend, the only person Mia knew would always back her up. Her Moonybear and the foggy memories she felt sometimes when she held him. Transforming into a tiger and playing with the wolves. Gabe becoming an Animagus for her. Yes, those were good thoughts. But to pick one? Mia decided to focus on the feeling she got when she ran and played with the wolves. It wasn't the deepest happiness she had ever felt, but it was the simplest. Every other happy though she had was also surrounded with mixed feelings. Yes, she would go with running with the wolves.

Mia looked up and looked at Lupin and nodded. "Alright then. Get in place. Wand up."

Mia stood in front of the trunk, wand in the air. Feet planted squarely, with a look of determination in her eyes. She nodded to Lupin and he shot a spell at the trunk and it flapped open. A wave of black smoke and cold fear washed out of the trunk slowly growing into a huge mass. The dementor rose and glided across the room, the black mass still rose behind it, branching into dementor after dementor. Before Mia knew it there was a swarm of dementors before Mia, and all thoughts of her wand and her happy thoughts flew from her mind as the cold and dark pressed in on all sides.

"Mia! Mia! Your wand!" Lupin called out to Mia, but she could barely hear it. Couldn't hear anything but the pleading for help, and a final screamed curse  _ Avada Kedavra _ . Mia fell to her knees and there was the blinding light once again. Lupin wiped away the false dementors and shoved the glowing orb bogart back into the chest.

Lupin let out a deep breath once the lid clicked shut and quickly made his way to Mia on the floor. "I am so sorry Mia. I forgot that your bogart wasn't a dementor. It is a swarm of them." Mia looked up with a weak smile as Lupin shoved chocolate into her hands. "Eat it, eat it all. We will leave it here for tonight. Try it again next week."

Mia shook her head. "No, let's try again."

Lupin let out a sigh. "Alright, in a moment. Rest first. Now if you focus on only thinking of a single dementor this time, the bogart shouldn't spread like that. It's only because in your fear you expect to see many of them. Isn't that right?"

Mia nodded. She resumed munching her chocolate thinking. "Your bogart, it's a moon, isn't it?"

Lupin looked down at his shoes as he nodded. "It's not really a fear of the moon, simply a fear of what the moon releases."

"Does it hurt?"

"Terribly." Lupin shuttered, but then he resumed speaking with a light off handed voice. "But once I transform the pain is more like a dream. Well, nightmare really, but it's easier to forget. But enough about that. Back to happy thoughts." Lupin stood up. "Let's try again. Regroup and find your happy thought. And this time focus on the dementor. One dementor is going to rise out of that trunk. Expect only one. Got it?"

Mia nodded again and planted her feet. Thinking about running through the forest as a tiger with the wolves, and maybe even Gabe at her side, and expecting only one dementor.

The lid opened and the dementor glided out just as before, but this time he was alone. He swept over to the girl, his rattling breath trying to suck out her thoughts of running with Gabe and the wolves through the forest. She felt her legs go weak and the voices return, but she locked her knees and planted her feet once more. She pointed her wand and yelled.  _ "Expecto Patronum, Expecto Patronum, EXPECTO PATRONUM!" _ Finally a wisp of silver erupted from her wand and shot at the dementor. The dementor shrunk away from it suddenly, but the wisp dissipated and the dementor rose to full height again. Mia took a step back and sunk to the ground. Lupin got between her and the dementor/bogart and forced it back to a moon shape and back into the trunk.

"That was fantastic Mia. Keep building off of that now. You know how it feels; now it just needs to be stronger." He handed her more chocolate. "Do you feel like trying again?" Mia just smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Sirius <3


	79. Answers

Mia sat on the ground, once again, munching on chocolate. That had been her fifth go at the dementor and still her wand produced nothing more than a wisp of glimmer. She was trying to puzzle out in her head to make this work. A happy thought, what was a happy thought. Mia stared at the trunk across the room focusing on it, trying to feel out the bogart inside. And then she saw it R J L. That was it! She jumped up with excitement and raced over to the trunk, startling Lupin in the process. She looked at the peeling letters on trunk. 'R. J. Lupin' she had found her answer to the question she had been asking since she was old enough to talk. This was RJL. But that didn't make any sense. This was Professor Lupin's trunk. It couldn't be him.

"Mia, are you ready to try again or did you want to call it a night?" Mia turned slowly and looked at her teacher with a heavy look of confusion. "On second thought, why don't we just call it a night. You have done wonderfully, but I think rest would be a good thing. I don't want you too exhausted for your weekend." Mia remained silent, just staring at Professor Lupin, trying to puzzle out if it could be true. "Mia? Are you feeling alright?"

Lupin walked across the room and put his hands on Mia's forehead, feeling her temperature, then he looked into her eyes. "Here, eat some more chocolate." He shoved more chocolate into her hand and Mia snapped back to it.

Mia took a step back until she was almost on top of the trunk, she could feel the peeling gold letters under her hand. "You... You can't be RJL." Mia reached her hand up to the wolf necklace at her throat, and the color drained out of Lupin's face, his hands fell to his sides, and Mia knew it was true.

Lupin opened his mouth, but no words came out so he closed it. Then he opened it again. "I can explain."

Mia's eyes flew open in shock. "So it's true? You are the mysterious person who has been sending me birthday presents since I was a little girl? The person I have been asking questions about since I could talk? The one who gave me hair ribbons and books and sweets and my Moonybear? You're the one who has been hiding from me my whole life?"

At this last statement Lupin winced. This was going to hurt. He had to tell her everything, no more half truths. "Yes. It was me."

Mia let out a deep breath and sat down hard on the ground, her back to the trunk. "Why."

Lupin sank to the ground in front of her, sitting awkwardly on the floor. "Because I’m your Godfather."

Her heart raced, and something filled up in her chest, but she pushed it away.

"Then why didn't you ever come and take me away?" Mia spoke as if this was the most obvious conclusion in the world. In truth, his admittance of being her Godfather made sense to her heart. Even if she had always just assumed if she did have one, it would have been Harry's parents.

Lupin looked troubled. "Isn't it obvious? I- You know what I am."

Mia shook her head. "So what, you're a werewolf." Lupin flinched, but Mia didn't care, he had to stop thinking of it as a shameful thing. "Dumbledore thinks you are safe enough to live in a school. Unless... Oh." Unless he didn't want her.

Lupin followed her train of thought and scooted closer to her so he could grab her hand. "No, Mia. Never think I didn't want you. I fought every way I could think of to keep you, but the ministry wouldn't allow it. They came to our house and took you from me. They said you were safer in a muggle orphanage than with me." Lupin slammed his fist down onto the trunk and the bogart jumped in anger. Mia hit the trunk just as hard, scolding the Bogart for interrupting. Lupin just chuckled at his girl's temper. Then he let out a sigh. "I did everything I could think of you get you back. I even tried Muggle adoption. Dumbledore finally came up with this idea, me teaching here."

Mia looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Lupin smiled. "Mia, the only reason I am working here is to be with you. The Ministry wouldn't let me raise you as my own based off of old prejudices', but Dumbledore knew he could convince the Ministry to let me teach out of desperation to fill the position. And then after a year of allowing me to teach students, he was going to use that as a precedent to convince the ministry to let me keep you." 

Mia was looking down at her hands intently, her eyes filling with tears. He really wanted to take her home with him over the summer? Mia didn't know how to respond. She hadn't been raised in a world where emotions and expressing your feelings were allowed.

Lupin reached over and lifted up her chin with a finger. Looking into her eyes he asked the question he was most fearful for the answer of. "Would you like that?"

Mia's face broke into an uncontrolled smile and Lupin returned her smile with one just as big, his eyes filling with tears as well. He reached over and pulled Mia into a tight embrace. The bogart jumped in his trunk and both Mia and Lupin burst into laughter.

Mia leaned back and looked Lupin in the eyes, truly seeing him for the first time. He was the man she sometimes dreamed about, it was the only thing that made sense to her heart. "I want to know everything."

Lupin smiled and nodded. "Yes, I am sure you do. Come." Lupin stood up and pulled her to her feet. "Let's have tea. What do you want to know first?" They were in his office once again and Mia had her tea cup. The answers to all her questions were before her. But what did she want to know first?

Mia thought hard for a few minutes. "You gave me that photo album last year. The one with all the pictures of my parents, and I will be wanting the ones you left out by the way. I imagine you took them out because they had you in them." Lupin just nodded in agreement. "So my question is, my father and Harry's father were best friends. Best men at each other's weddings, Harry is my father's Godson. So why are you my Godfather and not Harry's dad? That's who I always figured it was. Not that I am complaining mind you. I think I prefer it being you."

Lupin sighed and leaned back in his chair taking a sip of tea. "You don't start of easy, do you? Well, honestly, I never got an answer to that question myself. I always thought it would be James as well. I think even Sirius thought it would be James. They were like brothers, you see, closer than brothers. Your father even lived with the Potters after your grandparents disowned him fifth year. Long story, but anyways, James and Sirius were best friends, huge trouble makers. It only made sense when Harry was born that Sirius would teach him all of their old tricks. It wouldn't be responsible if his own father taught them to him, but his Godfather? Yes, he would teach him to be a prankster. And then your mother became pregnant and Sirius saw the same fate lining up, the perfect set up, the second generation would be just as troublesome as the first. But then something unexplainable happened. Sirius had a little girl. He had a girl, and all thoughts of anything but her safety went out the window. He didn't want you being put in danger like we had put ourselves in, in our school days. So he did the most sensible thing he knew and made the most level headed person he knew your godfather. I don't think it ever occurred to him the Ministry wouldn't let me keep you if something happened to them."

Mia took all of this in. So her father had cared about her wellbeing at one point. "What happened after?"

Lupin knew when she meant. "That night everything went down I was pacing in my house when the fireplace flared up and out walked your father carrying you. I didn't have time to think, I already knew what he had done, but before I knew it he was handing you to me and disapparating away only saying 'take care of her' before he was gone. To say I was ill prepared would be an understatement. I had baby sat you enough to be ok, but you were just learning to walk, and were getting into everything." As Lupin talked Mia saw his eyes drift back to a far off place as a smile crept onto his face. "We made do though. You were so brave, never once crying for your mum. If only it had lasted." His face grew shadowed. "The Ministry came after two weeks and took you away."

Mia thought up another question. "Moonybear? You gave him to me, but he's a wolf, not a bear."

Remus laughed. "Yes, that one was your father. My nickname in school was Moony and when I gave you the plush when you were born your father said it was your Moonybear. The fact that it was a wolf never seemed to matter much. We all had nicknames back in our school days. Padfoot was your dad, Prongs was James, and Wormtail was Peter."

His face grew troubled again and Mia wanted to change the subject to something lighter. "There was a song, with Moonybear. A song someone used to sing."

Remus looked up with a strange look. "You remember that?"

Mia nodded. "Not the words."

Lupin smiled. "It's been a long time since I've sung, given you are the only one I have ever sung for, but I will tell you the words."

Mia shook her head. "No, you have to sing it." She smiled wickedly at him.

Lupin groaned and sat up straighter, bound by his honor and fatherly duty. He cleared his throat and sang in a slightly off key upbeat tune. "Oh, my prettiest little girl in town, always likes to jump around. Twirls her dress around and around, just until she falls on the ground, you are the prettiest little girl in the town." He finished the song and shook his head. "Your mother and father made that up for you, but it was a rule when babysitting. You wouldn't fall asleep until you heard it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3  
> Yes, just a nice fluffy chapter. What do you think?


	80. Tag

Every Friday night Mia had dementor lessons, and afterwards she would have tea with Lupin and he would answer any question she had. Questions about her family, questions about his. Questions about him being a werewolf, did it hurt, what was the potion Snape brought him, how did it make him feel, was it easy to make? (She was very curious about the potion.) What was her mother like, where did Lupin live outside of school. Sometimes she would just spend the whole evening listening as he would tell stories of the past. Mia loved it.

Slowly but surely, Mia began to gain a picture of this man and who he was. She soon loved the man she was seeing before her, even if she wasn't aware what that emotion really was. The way he taught his classes, always giving encouragement to the students who needed it, and always challenging those who needed that. The way he would give her a slight nod and a small smile every morning as he entered the great hall for breakfast, their shared secret of intimacy among the crowded room. For the first time, Mia truly felt like she belonged somewhere. It had nothing to do with where she was, simply knowing and feeling safe and secure in her relationship with her Godfather, and knowing at the end of the year she would be living with him, gave her a confidence that no one could take away. It was similar to the way her friendship with Gabe made Mia feel, but that relationship was also mixed with other feelings Mia couldn't define.

Along with the progression of her relationship with Lupin, the school year also continued along just the same. Hermione continued to defy laws of the universe and attend too many classes, which Mia respectfully agreed not to ask about, and Gabe continued to get better and better at transforming.

It was the first of October, the night before Ravenclaws first Quidditch practice when Gabe finally got it down for real. He knew he had to have it down so that his arms didn't transform into wolf arms while he was on his broom and make him fall off, and the motivation was enough to help him along. 

The large black/brown wolf lumbered around the room of requirement excitedly with his tongue lolling out. As a reward for his accomplishment, Mia finally transformed to tiger form for him, and the two of them spent the evening running around the room playing tag. Gabe still wasn't very coordinated on four paws so Mia won every time.

As they transformed back Gabe brought something up that had been on his mind for a while. "The one thing I don't get is if becoming an Animagus is so difficult then why were two thirteen year old kids able to do it?"

"Speak for yourself! I was eleven when I made the potion and barely twelve when I mastered the ability!"

Gabe bumped Mia with his shoulder. "That still doesn't explain my question."

"Mia looked thoughtful for a moment. "I don't think it's because it's so difficult, I think that it's more because it's so dangerous. Honestly, I think the fear of it going wrong keeps people from attempting it." She thought for a moment longer. "Not to mention the fact that we could both be arrested and sent to Azkaban if anyone found out about this."

Gabe just shrugged at this. "Oh well, it was still worth it. But it does make you wonder how many other unregistered Animagi there are in the world."

Mia laughed at the thought. "But really, just wait until we get a chance to sneak out to the forest, you haven't lived until you really get to stretch your legs and run full force."

"But didn't you promise Lupin you wouldn't sneak out?" 

Mia sighed. Along with the first day of October, came the announcement for the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year, it would be on Halloween. Mia had been excited because now that she had a Godfather, she was sure she would be allowed to go. But after a very heated discussion where Lupin proved he was a good parent who cared more about his girls well being than if she liked him, he said no and made her promise not to leave the castle without his or another teacher's supervision while Sirius Black and the dementors were anywhere other than Azkaban.

"Maybe this summer then. Now that I will be staying with Lupin in London we can floo to each other's houses and go on adventures."

A wistful sort of look came over Gabe's face. "That would be perfect. But you don't really think it will be that long before they catch him, do you?"

Mia grimaced. "Honestly it feels like he will be looming out there forever. I doubt he would really be daft enough to try to attack Harry while he's at Hogwarts, unless he really is that insane."

Gabe decided after the fun they'd just had running around as animals that maybe Mia would be open enough to answer something he had been pondering for a while now. "Does it bother you, that he's coming after Harry... You know, and not you?"

Mia looked down in shame. "Am I really that transparent?"

Gabe shook his head. "No. Not at all. I just know you better than most." Mia smiled at that. "But honestly, that's how I would be feeling if it was me in your place. And it's understandable that you feel that way. But I mean, I think it's like Lupin said. That's not really your father anymore, you know? And you probably wouldn't like what you saw if he did come for you."

Mia "Yeah, I know that. I mean, of course I know that. You're right, Lupin's right. I just need to forget about him." Mia laughed bitterly. "It's just hard when I'm locked up in this castle. I can't relax when I can't get out and run. Gabe you have no idea how freeing it is when you can just run as hard and as fast and as far as your paws can take you. It's like you could just outrun the whole world."

Gabe nodded, he didn't think it would help the conversation if he mentioned that he didn't have anything in his life he was running from so it probably wouldn't be quite the same for him. "Well we will just have to plan then. Plan a way for you to get out. I know Halloween won't work since Lupin will be watching you like a hawk, but I can stay back from Hogsmeade and we can do something-"

"GABE! No! I am not letting you miss out on Hogsmeade just so you can be bored with me in the castle. Besides, McGonagall took me there once my first year and a few times over the summer before second year, so it's not like I'm completely missing out. Plus this way you can buy me some Pumpkin Pasties." Mia smiled trying to reassure Gabe and eventually the boy agreed with the plan to bring back plenty of sweets for Mia. Gabe knew sneaking out with Mia would be a risk, but he honestly believed she would be safer with him than she would be if she just snuck out by herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.. uh... think Mia will stay true to her promise to Lupin and not sneak out? 😅  
> ALSO! HAPPY MAY!!! I'm thinking maybe less than 2 months till my book is available for pre order?? Just waiting on those maps!! I'm so excited and nervous for the pre release. Like, I have a marketing plan, I just don't know if it will work 🤞


	81. A new task

The rest of October passed with a smooth rhythm of classes, Dementor lessons, Quidditch practices for Gabe (Mia couldn't even watch from the stands this year) and tea time with Lupin. Things were beginning to calm down as the school year progressed and the fear of getting in a fight with Lupin kept Mia from bringing up the subject of Hogsmeade again. A few days before Halloween the Weasley twins cryptically told Mia they would share their secrets and help her out of the castle because they were so amazing, but Mia refused to swear an oath of their brilliance before the whole school so they decided to keep their secrets to themselves in the end. Mia didn't mind though. She would have felt guilty lying to Lupin, not to mention she really didn't believe they would come through.

The morning of Halloween found Mia wishing Gabe and Hermione a good day in Hogsmeade as she headed off to the library to read. But after being so distracted that she kept losing her place in her favorite potions book, Mia decided to wander off in search of Lupin. She had just turned down the corridor to his office when she saw him leading Harry into his office. Mia felt a pang of jealousy at the sight, but then immediately felt guilty for it. Harry deserved to hear stories of his parents from Lupin just as Mia had, and her father was surely haunting his life just as much as Mia's. She was still quite sure he didn't know the full extent of her father's betrayal, but all the same he still wasn't allowed out of the castle either, well apart from his Quidditch practices were Madam Hooch stood guard.

Mia turned from jer Godfather's office and instead made her way to her second most favorite Professor's office. Unfortunately for Mia, it turned out Professor McGonagall was busy preparing for the evening Halloween feast and wasn't in her office.

Mia slowly wandered away from the Deputy Headmistresses office feeling lost and alone. She could go to the Hospital wing, but she was pretty sure there was no one in the school feeling sick today. What she really wanted to do was brew something. Then a thought came to her mind. She did the math in her head. Yes, the full moon was in five days. Mia skipped down the hall towards her destination with excitement.

She stopped outside the wooden door and froze. This would be difficult to pull off and she needed to have her thoughts collected. Finally she took a deep breath and knocked. A foreboding voice responded. "Enter."

Mia put her hand on the cold metal door handle and pushed her way in. "Professor Snape?"

Professor Snape looked up from the papers he was terrorizing on his desk and sneered. "What could you possibly want Miss _Black._ " The loathing was back in her last name when he spoke it, but Mia didn't let that stop her.

"Professor, I was wondering if you would allow me to observe the next time you made the wolfsbane potion."

Professor Snape looked at her calculatingly, the sneer deepening. "And why would you think I would allow you to do a thing like that?"

Mia shrugged. "Well, I know you would never let me assist you in making it, and I thought it would be too much to ask for you to teach me to make it, so I was hoping that just letting me watch, wouldn't be too much of a bother." Snape seemed to take that in without yelling, so Mia was hopeful.

"And what may I ask, makes you believe I will have reason to brew it anytime soon. I assume you know what it is, and therefore know it is not a commonly needed potion."

Mia nodded. "Yes Sir, but I also know it will be the full moon in five days and Professor Lupin is in need of it. I know you have already been making it for him this month, and will continue to do so for the next few days." Lupin had told Mia all about how Snape had found out about his condition years ago and the prank with her father. It made sense now why Snape had loathed Mia and Harry so much when she first met him.

"Ahh, so you are aware of our Defense teacher's... condition. And yet you seem to accept it with ease. That is either very brave or very foolish. How incredibly Gryffindor of you. Tell me, why is it you wish to learn to brew this potion. You do know it is a tremendously difficult potion to brew."

Mia was starting to doubt he would agree. "I don't suppose you would accept the answer of pure academic interest?"

"No, I don't suppose I would." He was sneering again.

Mia sighed. "You help people with the potions you brew. Not all of them, but most of the potions you brew are to heal or to help. Most of all, the wolfsbane potion takes something excruciating and traumatic and makes it bearable. That is such a great power, being able to take away someone's pain, to help people, and it's one I want to have someday."

Snape seemed to think on this for a while and finally looked at the clock on the wall. Well I do have another batch I must make today." He looked at the young girl. "You will do exactly as I say."

Mia's face lit up with joy, but then remembering who she was talking to and remembering his hatred of other people's glee, she wiped the look off her face and replaced it with a controlled look of gratitude, and a slight frown for good measure.

Snape's face looked pained as he saw her badly masked reaction, but he still rose from his desk and led Mia to the potions lab he kept off of his office. Mia had only been to the lab once before over the summer when she had been ordered to retrieve some ingredients, but the room had not changed a bit. The walls were lined with more jars of strange ingredients than Mia had ever thought existed, but unlike the dank potions classroom, which Mia suspected he kept dirty and dingy for effect, his lab was spotless. Each glass clean and shiny, all the extra cauldrons looking new. Snape may not take his classes or his appearance seriously, but he did take his real potions work very seriously. He walked over to his tall work table and opened the book laying there. Mia quickly pulled her notebook out of the bag she had been carrying with her since the library and prepared herself to take notes as Snape began fetching ingredients and tools off of shelves. Mia quickly copied down the instructions in the book and was surprised to see that although the instructions were very technical and precise, they were not long. The complex and difficult potion only took roughly 45 minutes to brew. As the Potions Master began working, Mia took notes on every move he made and especially anywhere he deviated from the instructions. This potion was unlike anything Mia had ever seen before; being that most of the potions she made affected the physical body and this one affected the mind. Most of the ingredients were unfamiliar to Mia and she couldn't wait to go back and research each one in the library to learn how they worked together.

When the potion was finished, Professor Snape explained how the dosing worked and what was needed to keep a werewolf in its right mind. Lastly, just after he had finished cleaning up the room, he snatched Mia's notebook out of her hands and looked her in the eyes. "Now listen closely to me. If you so much as attempt to buy the ingredients to brew this potion on your own I will never allow you to brew anything above a first years exams ever again. Potions influencing the mind are incredibly dangerous, and I will demand that you never attempt this without my close supervision."

His voice was harsh and frightening, but then he paused and handed the notebook back to Mia. "That being said, if you wish to learn to brew this potion correctly, come back here over your lunch break the next five days and you can begin assisting me with the preparations." He narrowed his eyes at Mia, apparently all of his goodwill used up. When he spoke again his voice was cold and deadly. "Now, get out of my Lab."

Mia snatched up her school bag and rushed out of the office with excitement. He would teach her! She didn't mind at all that he agreed to it with a threat, she understood that he had to do it like that. With who she was, and who he was, he had to keep up his image. She was just thankful that in the end he would teach her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another chapter down!! What do you guys think? Interested to see how Snape's tutoring progresses? Excited for some conflict to come? Buckle up! Things are getting interesting fam <3


	82. Halloween Again

Mia headed off to the library and happily pulled out her favorite book: 'Every Potions Ingredient Known and How to Use it: at least the ones the Ministry lets you know about', and began writing down the properties of the different ingredients to the wolfsbane potion and how they react with each other. If she was going to learn from Snape, she wanted to be well prepared.

Mia occupied herself in the library well into the afternoon. It wasn't long before the evening feast when Gabe found her in the library. He tried to cover the excitement and fun he had had in the village and asked Mia about her day, but Mia wasn't fooled. Instead she asked him to tell her every little thing about the village so that she could live through him. Gabe had no problem with this arrangement. He told her about his trip to the joke shop, and grabbing a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks with some of the Quidditch team. After telling her about his trip to Honeydukes shop he told her she would get her candy after the feast, he didn't want her spoiling her dinner.

After Mia packed up her notes into her bag, Gabe shouldered it and led her out of the library and to the Great hall. The grand room was decorated amazingly for Halloween. The teaching staff had done a fantastic job. There were floating carved jack o' lanterns with candles in them, and flaming orange streamers strung up above the tables. Even real live bats flying overhead. Gabe didn't even pretend to move towards the Ravenclaw table and instead sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Ron and Harry, Mia sat down across from them and next to Hermione as the boys struck up an intense conversation about how the different house teams were lining up for the Quidditch season. When Professor Lupin came in, he gave Mia a warm smile and small nod as he walked towards the staff table. 

She looked at Gabe, Harry, and Ron arguing passionately about which position was the most difficult in Quidditch. As Hermione started talking to Mia about Arithmenic theory Mia settled into a peace. It was Halloween; she was surrounded by friends and truly enjoying herself. Mia thought to herself that nothing in the world could take away the joy she felt. She was quite certain she would have no problem at all the next time she attempted to cast the Patronus Charm.

The feast ended after a brilliant performance from the school ghost's and Nearly Headless Nick re-enacted his own botched beheading. Mia bid goodnight to Gabe and headed back to the Gryffindor common room with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. When they got to the corridor in front of the prorate hole Mia was frustrated to see no one was moving inside and was blocking the way. She was very full and very sleepy and very ready for bed. Percy started forcing his way through the crowd yelling about his Head Boy position to get the students to move out of his way. When he was in sight of the portrait he went silent. Then he yelled out in a shocked voice, "Someone get Professor Dumbledore."

Someone in the back of the room must have gone to get the headmaster for it wasn't more than a few minutes before the Headmaster appeared and the students parted before him. Mia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione took the opportunity and rushed into the space created in the wake of Dumbledore and slipped to the front of the crowd. Hermione gasped when they saw what had become of the fat lady's portrait. 

The Portrait was shredded. "What happened to Madam Catalina?" Mia asked.

Ron tore his eyes away from the mess of torn canvas. "Who?"

Mia looked at him like he was daft. "The woman in the portrait. Seriously, didn't anyone else ever think to ask her name?" Mia shook her head and turned back to the mess in front of her.

McGonagall, Snape, and Lupin came up the corridor and through the mass of students. Dumbledore turned to the professors looking somber. "We need to find her. Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting for the Fat Lady." Ron elbowed Mia as if to say 'even Dumbledore doesn't know her real name.'

A cackling voice spoke from above them. "You'll be lucky!" Peeves was bobbling over the crowd with a delighted look on his face.

Professor Dumbledore responded with a calm voice. "What do you mean Peeves?"

Peeves wasn't about to mouth off to Professor Dumbledore so the Poltergeist adopted an oily voice that was equally as horrible as his cackle. "Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful." Peeves sounded quite happy about this. "Poor thing."

Dumbledore spoke quietly. "Did she say who did it?"

"Oh yes Professor. He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over in the air and spoke from out between his legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

It took a moment to sink in, but as the bottom of Mia's stomach fell out, students gasped and a few screamed. Dumbledore easily silenced the crowd and Professor McGonagall began the process of ushering all of the students back to the great hall. Mia was slow to move and walked at the back of the crowd. Lupin came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. Her mind was completely blank as she turned around and looked up into his eyes. He nodded to Dumbledore as the Professors followed the last of the students to the great hall.

As soon as they were alone he pulled Mia into a tight hug. "Mia I am so sorry." Mia buried her face into his robes and just breathed for a moment, her mind coming back to her. Suddenly the realization of what had happened fell on her and she shut her eyes hard returning Lupin's hug with full force. "Don't worry Mia, we will catch him." After a moment he pulled away from her and looked into her eyes, his were filled with love and just a little worry. "Come on, I need to get you to the great hall and join the search."

Lupin wrapped his arm around Mia's shoulders and led her down the corridor. Mia wondered what would have happened if it hadn't been Halloween and the whole school was out at the feast. What would have happened if the common room had been full of students? Her father had clearly had a knife on him given the cuts in the canvas. When they got to the great hall Lupin stopped just outside the grand doors and pulled Mia in for one last hug and Mia felt him give her a light kiss on the top of her head that filled her heart with warmth. 

Then Lupin released her, gave her a weak smile and opened the door to usher her inside. Mia saw the room was filled with students from all of the houses, a few already in their Pajamas, and several hundred squishy purple sleeping bags laid out on the floor. Gabe, spotting Mia and Lupin enter, came over with a worried look on his face. Lupin nodded to Gabe very business like as if handing off a prized possession and walked over to the group of Professors in the corner to join the search party.

Gabe gestured to some lonely sleeping bags in another corner and Mia followed him over. Mia forgot her troubles for a moment and a smile spread over her face as she noticed what Gabe was wearing. Blue plaid pajama bottoms with a thin bronze shirt and a fluffy blue robe with bronze thread stitched into the collar. The robe had a thick bronze rope belt tied around it. At the smile spreading on Mia's face, Gabe looked around to see what was so funny.

Mia gestured to his wardrobe, her smile spreading. "Always the Ravenclaw I see."

"What? My mom was really excited I got into Ravenclaw after her, so she buys my wardrobe accordingly." Mia nodded as if she was going to just let it pass with out comment and Gabe continued to give Mia the quick rundown of what was happening. "The Professors and ghosts are searching the castle and Percy and Kelsey are in charge." Kelsey was the Head Girl from Ravenclaw and was much less of a prat than Percy. Gabe looked Mia over after a moment. Mia's mood had sunk back down when she remembered why they we all in the great hall. "How are you doing?"

The last of the teachers had left the room, locking in the students and Percy took that opportunity to assert his authority. "Everyone into their sleeping bags! Come on now, no more talking. Lights out in ten minutes!"

Mia sighed as she took off her bulky robes and shoes and climbed into the sleeping bag. She had worn jeans and a jumper under her robes to the feast and wasn't looking forward to sleeping in them. Gabe took off his robe and blue fuzzy slippers and did the same. Mia slipped into her sleeping bag and scrunched down into the bag pulling it up over her head. She felt better now that she was hidden and was very content staying in that bag for the next ten years if she needed to. But alas, that was not to be. She felt someone poking her in the sleeping bag head and reluctantly pulled it down enough to peer out. Gabe was laying on his side with his head propped up on his hand looking at her with an odd look.

Mia sighed again. "I'm fine."

"Really? Because it looks like your sleeping bag is trying to eat you. And succeeding."

Mia pulled the sleeping bag down a little, rolling onto her back and looked back at Gabe. "He snuck into the castle, with a knife, and slashed open the portrait when she wouldn't let him in. He had a knife. Really? Was he just gonna stab Harry or something?" She threw her hands up into the air while she was talking and dropped them to her side with a frustrated growl. She sighed again and put a hand over her face. The whole school would be hating her with full force come tomorrow. She just didn't know how to handle this anymore. Mia rolled back over and buried herself back into her sleeping bag. "And now I really just want to sleep and pray this all goes away and he gets caught and taken to the evil Dementors and locked back up." 

Mia's eyes started leaking uncontrolled tears but Mia did her very best to cry as silently as possible, hidden in the bedding. She knew when he was captured, the Dementors would suck out his soul and leave the empty husk in Azkaban to die. More tears soaked into the built in pillow in her sleeping bag. She was a horrible person for wishing that on someone, even if it was just in her anger. Mia felt an arm on her back. Mia didn't look up but kept her tear soaked face buried. Gabe began rubbing Mia's back as she started sobbing a little harder. Eventually Mia fell asleep, her dreams filled with Dementors and cold cells and hollow grey eyes.

* * *

Sirius Black flopped down onto the old ragged bed in the old abandoned shack. Dust rose around him when he disturbed the mattress. That had gone less than according to plan. Sirius thought a little harder and remembered he hadn't really had much of a plan. Sneak into the castle as the dog, then just a quick trip up to the tower to kill a rat and then back out again. It was Halloween so the Gryffindor tower would be empty. Simple. Oh but Sirius had forgotten about the fat lady. She wasn't about to let Sirius into the Gryffindor tower. Not without the Password. Sirius would have to think back through that one for the next time he broke in. But what if the rat knew why Sirius had broken in and went on the run?

He had been hiding away in the shrieking shack for over a month now, leaving only in dog form to watch the occasional Quidditch practice or to hunt in the forest for food. Hunting had been more difficult than Sirius had imagined it would be. There was a wolf pack that had moved into the forest and claimed the territory between the castle and the centaur's lands and skirting the acromantula nest before ending at the lake. Sirius still hunted their land given he was more worried about the centaurs than the wolves, but that didn't stop them from running him off the land every time they picked up his scent. The wolves didn't seem to mind that he wasn't really a dog, they seemed to understand that part quite well, better than Sirius thought they should, but the wolves still didn't like to share. Having to fight for his food wasn't helping Sirius build up his strength.

The big ginger cat entered the room again and Sirius sat up very slowly on the bed. The cat still didn't trust him but Sirius was working on him. It would be useful to have an ally. Especially one as smart as a half kneazle, who also had access to the Gryffindor common room. They had spoken a few times while Sirius was the dog, and the cat seemed very smug about his ability to go where the strange dogwizard wanted to go. This cat even seemed to have met the rat, and was as suspicious of it as he was of Sirius. It was a start at least. This was good; Sirius was forming a new plan. Gain the trust of the cat, he could do that. Then he could start on re planning his last plan, or really planning his last plan for the first time. Sirius closed his eyes. He needed sleep. And food, but he could get by with just the sleep for now. Sirius decided his first plan of action for gaining the cat's trust would be to ignore him. And with that thought solidified, Sirius fell back onto the bed and promptly fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly believe ignoring a cat probably is the best way to earn it's trust haha.  
> I also have a big ginger cat. His name is Mister Bingley. I call him Bing-a-ling, BingBong and PoopCat. Insert obligatory cat picture here: https://www.instagram.com/p/B13r457gg_A/  
> I am a firm believer that maine coon cats are as close as we can get to having a kneazle. They are at least the right size.
> 
> Anyways, enough about my cat. What did you think of the Halloween chaos from Mia's perspective? Poor Sirius, trying his hardest to complete his crazed revenge 🤦


	83. Page 394

After Halloween night, all anyone talked about for a long while was Sirius Black. They talked about it in the Great Hall, they talked about it in their common rooms, they talked about it before, during, and after classes. Honestly one of the only times student's of the castle didn't talk about Sirius Black was when they realized the daughter of the man on subject was within ear shot. Whenever Mia entered a room, wherever she was, all she was met with was silence and a few accusing glares.

The worst part of all this was of course the fact that Sirius Black had not been captured. He had escaped, adding to the rumors that he was completely evil. The stories the student's came up with to explain how he had escaped were endlessly funny to Gabe and endlessly annoying to Mia.

The week just seemed to pile up more and more as Madam Catalina's portrait had been replaced by the schools most annoying painting; Sir Cadogan. Mia'd had a few run in's with the painting when she'd explored the castle over the summers. The one general rule when navigating the castle of Hogwarts was, when lost, ask a painting. Sir Cadogan was a very eager to help painting (after he was done threatening you of course) But all the same, his helping tended to hurt and take up more of your time than was strictly necessary. As the gateway to Gryffindor tower, the painting spent all his efforts making up confusing passwords and changing them several times a day. But the thing that made Mia's week officially one she was happy to end, came when she entered her DADA class on Thursday and learned that Lupin was 'out sick.'

At the sight of Professor Snape in her Godfather's desk, Mia knew it meant Lupin was still feeling a bit off after the full moon. Mia would make it a point to remember to bring him a strengthening potion after dinner.

Snape took it upon himself in honor of the event to explain to the class that Lupin was a bad teacher and had not left any instructions for the class. This was only interrupted by Harry bursting into class late. "This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down."

Harry didn't seem interested in sitting. "Where's Professor Lupin?"

Snape got an evil sneer on his face at the question. "He says he is feeling too ill to teach today, I believe I told you to sit down?"

Harry didn't move. Mia wished she could kick him from where she sat. "What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing life-threatening," Snape sounded disappointed about that. "Five more points from Gryffindor, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be fifty."

Harry finally sulked to his seat, Gabe was cracking his knuckles, his already strong dislike of Snape rising by the moment. Snape continued. "As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far -"

"Please, sir, we've done Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas, and Grindylows." Hermione said this quickly. "And we're just about to start -"

"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization." Gabe sighed loudly.

"He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Dean Thomas boldly, and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. Mia's heart warmed but Snape looked more menacing than ever.

"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you. I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and Grindylows. Today we shall discuss…" He flicked through the textbook, to the very back chapter, as if looking for just the right lesson. "Werewolves," Mia was shocked by his boldness.

"But, sir," said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start Hinkypunks -"

"Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again. "All of you! Now!"

"Professor Snape! We should be starting Hinkypunks! Not Werewolves!" Mia's voice was indignant, she had an idea what Snape was planning and she couldn't believe she would be so disrespectful of Dumbledore's orders. Lupin had said Snape was sworn to secrecy.

"Miss _Black_ , do shut up!"

Gabe's mouth fell open in his seat next to Mia. "Why should she? Just because you don't want to be called out on your spiteful teaching methods?" Some of the class gasped. It was doubtful Gabe's hatred of Snape could get much stronger but Mia suspected today's class may just do it. Mia just shut her mouth and opened her book with the rest of the class.

"Detention Mr. Adewumi, and twenty points from Ravenclaw." There was a small smile on Snape's face. "Now, which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" Snape was sneering again.

No one in the class seemed to know except Hermione and a few brave Ravenclaws who put their hands in the air. "Anyone?" Snape ignored them. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between-"

Parvati spoke up, "We told you, we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on-"

"Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are..."

Only the look on Snape's face as he punished the class made Mia stop fighting back. It was clear he was just taking pent up anger out on the class and wishing the student's to fight back. Hermione seemed to miss that fact. "Please, sir, the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf -"

"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger, five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."

Mia felt horrible as she saw the girls hurt face, but this time it was Ron to step out of line in his girl's defense. "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"

"Detention, Weasley," Snape said silkily. The perverse joy Snape was getting out of the class made everyone else hold their tongues for the rest of the class as they made notes on werewolves from the textbook. Snape wandered up and down the rows making comments on the student's previous work, criticizing Lupins teaching methods.

Snape delivered his last bit of twisted cheer on the class as the bell rang. "You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand. Adewumi, Weasley, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention."

Mia scampered out of the room with the rest of the class writhing with anger. She stopped out in the hall with Harry and Hermione to wait for Gabe as they waited for Ron. Mia had given up her lunches every day that week and spent the time with Snape, learning the wolfsbane potion. Snape had seemed more irritable than usual when Mia worked with him, but he usually seemed to hold back the full force of his anger when it was just her in the room, as if the clear hatred of her father and Godfather could be set aside in the pursuit of academic interest. But her teacher's attitude today made Mia feel unforgiving for all of his past wrongs towards her and her classmates.

Gabe and Ron came out after a moment, still filled with cold fury. Mia didn't have to ask what his detention was as Ron, loudly cursing Snape out announced they had to clean out bed pans in the hospital wing without magic. Mia just shook her head, her eyes frosty with anger as well. When they were out of earshot of anyone else Mia finally let herself express her anger. "He's trying to get a student to figure out Lupin's condition. He can't tell anyone himself so he is trying to get a student to guess." She trusted Snape. She knew he could be vengeful and clearly had problems, but she had still trusted him to do the right thing when the time came, but this wasn't the right thing. Mia couldn't believe Snape's childhood dislike of Lupin and his friends could make him be so horrible.

Gabe seemed to come out of his blind rage coma long enough to respond to this. "I told you Mia, I told you. He is evil. I know you like him because he is good with potions, but there is absolutely no excusing the fact that he is trying to out Lupin." Mia, usually one of the few ever willing to come to Snape's defense had nothing to say to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May the 4th be with you <3


	84. A storm

After their last class, Mia skipped dinner and went out the Hospital Wing to talk a Strengthening potion out of Madam Pomfrey. Only complete trust, and knowing the girl knew of the Professors condition made Pomfrey willing to part with the potion. Mia thanked the witch and snuck off to Lupin's office and adjacent rooms.

She knocked on the door, and waited. When the door swung open Mia felt a little guilty for disturbing the man. Lupin was wearing blue flannel pajamas and looking closer to death than just tired. His eyes were bloodshot and he had large bags under them. But the smile on his face when he spotted Mia changed her mind. She held up the potion and he nodded his thanks as he gulped it down and gestured for her to enter.

He motioned for Mia to sit in one of the chairs by the fire and he was about to sit in the second, but Mia pushed him forward towards his bedroom. "No way. You need to be in bed." Lupin chuckled to himself as Mia tucked him into bed and sat by his feet, her knees pulled up to her chest. "I just wanted to check in on you and make sure you were doing well."

Mia chewed her lip as she fought the urge to rat out Professor Snape. But Lupin didn't look up for bad news at the moment so she decided against it. Lupin propped his head up on his pillow so he could watch his girl. "Now I don't believe that for a moment. Tell me, what did Professor Snape do?"

Mia's eyes bulged in her face. "Seriously, can you read my mind?"

Lupin chuckled again, Mia was happy to hear it. "No Mia, I cannot. But this soon after the change my senses are still rather sharp, and you especially wear your emotions on your sleeve."

Mia stored this information away, just in case she ever needed to pull one over on her future guardian, but eventually she gave in and told him all about their class. "He is making us write two rolls due on Monday about how to recognize and kill werewolves."

Lupin just sighed at this, as if not surprised. "He really was quite angry that Sirius wasn't caught."

Mia couldn't believe Lupin's lack of outrage. "Angry he wasn't caught? What does that have to do with you? That git is trying to out you!"

"Mia!" Lupin's voice was loud and sharp, surprising Mia for how tired the man was. "He is still your Professor and I expect you to always treat him with respect. Now, I am not condoning what Professor Snape did, but I am not surprised either. He doesn't trust me, thinks I helped Sirius into the castle, absurd, yes I know. Childish to seek revenge, yes I know. But his actions were against me, not you. Don't take it personally, I can fight my own battles. I told Neville to make Boggart/Snape dress up as an old lady, now Snape was getting me back. I shouldn't have done that in the first place... but I just couldn't resist." Lupin sighed to himself. "Once a Marauder always a Marauder." Mia tried to puzzle out what he meant but Lupin quickly shook the thought out of his head and continued. "My point is, don't hold this against Professor Snape. You respect him too much as a Potions Master to let this get in the way of your learning. And don't worry, you don't have to write the paper." Lupin smiled and patted Mia's leg.

Mia awoke the next morning, the howling wind rattling the windows as the rain beat against the stone. Mia smiled wide and snuggled back under her covers. The storm that had been building all week was truly going in full force. This made Mia happy because it meant the first Quidditch game of the year would be canceled and she could spend the day relaxing. Gabe had been forceful with his request that Mia join him to watch the game. Mia always tried her hardest to get out of going, but this time she hadn't put up too much of a fight knowing it would likely be her only chance to get out of the castle before Christmas.

After enjoying the warmth of her bed for as long as she could, Mia finally surrendered to her growing hunger and got ready for her relaxing Saturday. After a heated argument with Lavender in their shared bathroom about the proper way to share a mirror Mia fled the tower and headed down to breakfast. She was halfway finished with her pumpkin juice when Gabe showed up and started in on the food. He paused half way through a mouthful of eggs, looked Mia over and swallowed with difficulty before speaking. "What are you wearing; where is your cloak? You are gonna freeze out there," Mia, who had been trying her hardest to ignore the whispers and stares from the students around her hadn't realized that all of the student's around her were wrapped up in warm cloaks or carrying rain resistant charmed umbrellas.

Mia felt a disappointing sinking feeling when she realized what this meant. "But.. the storm... Quidditch is canceled."

The Hufflepuff Quidditch team took that moment to walk into the great hall amidst a warm applause from their home table. Mia turned back to Gabe with an astonished face. Gabe was shaking his head at her. "Mia, Quidditch is never canceled."

"You have got to be kidding me, the storm is raging out there!" Mia looked up at the ceiling of the Great Hall, reflecting the outside sky just as lightning streaked across. "This is insane! They can't go out in this, someone will be killed!" Gabe started shushing Mia just as Mia made eye contact with Harry sitting only a few seats away. He was looking rather pale and had clearly heard Mia's comments. Mia looked up at him with a big fake reassuring smile. "Hey Harry! You're gonna do great out there!" Harry nodded and turned back to his food. Mia turned back to Gabe with a that-was-close expression. "I thought we were playing Slytherin?"

Gabe shook his head. "Apparently one of the Slytherin chasers got hexed by an unknown Gryffindor student and is in the hospital wing so Snape excused them from playing. In other words, the Slytherins didn't want to play in this weather and the chaser pulled the short straw so the other players jumped him. Now Gryffindor is playing Hufflepuff, which is bad news for Gryffindor because Diggory clearly has the advantage." Gabe turned back to his food and Mia did the same. Mia didn't know exactly how this was bad for Gryffindor, mainly because she didn't know who or what a diggory was. But not wanting Gabe to launch into a major Quidditch break down, Mia didn't question the boy. What Mia really wanted was to avoid being dragged out into the storm. She could easily sneak tea from the kitchen, and take it up to the common room. With the rest of the house at the game Mia would have the nice couch by the fire all to herself. She could curl up with a blanket and a book and truly enjoy her Saturday.

Gabe startled Mia out of her fantasy. "So come on, go get your cloak!"

Mia turned to Gabe, giving him a sweet smile with her saddest eyes. "Gabe, I think I should sit this one out. It's raining so hard out there and I think I'm starting to get a cold. I don't think it would be a good Idea for me to be out there in this storm, especially after all of the stress of this last week. I think I need to just rest."

When Mia began talking, Gabe set down his toast and turned to her, giving her his full attention. When she finished he gave her an understanding smile. He looked at the beautiful girl in front of him and responded with a sweet voice. "I understand, but don't worry Mia, I have been practicing my warming and rain repelling charms all week. You will be nice and warm for the game. Now hurry up and go get your cloak before we are late or I will tell McGonagall you have the flu and she will grandmother you into the hospital wing for the next week." Gabe turned back to his food with a wicked smirk and continued eating his eggs. Mia, feeling dumbstruck after being Slytherined by a Ravenclaw, rose from the table and left to fetch her cloak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Mia, having to sit through rainy quidditch, no way will this event turn into a chaotic mess, right?? 🤞  
> I just posted my book cover on my website!! If you want to check it out, head to https://www.hmwrites.com/ If you signup for updates, and check the box that you came from here, An Untold Beginning, then I will send you a free bookmark!  
> 


	85. Quidditch! Oh Gosh

A little over an hour later found Mia sitting in the Quidditch stands wedged between Gabe and Hermione as the crowd cheered on the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor teams. To say she was watching the game would have been a bit of a stretch considering the down poor of the storm was too intense for Mia to make out more than the occasional blur of red or yellow.

True to his word, Gabe had cast charm after charm onto Mia before they left the castle until every stitch of her cloak was imbued with warmth. Mia was pleasantly warm despite the wind and icy rain. Mia closed her eyes as she sat in the stands; wrapped her cloak around herself just right until she almost felt as though she was tucked warm into her bed. The howling wind carried away the sounds from the cheering crowd and the gale rocked the stands soothingly. Even the heavy rain, beating against her cloak and the rain repelling charms made a soothing rhythm against her head and shoulders lulling Mia into an almost half sleep.

Gabe jostled Mia, making a comment that she couldn't watch the game with her eyes closed. Not that she could even see the players with her eyes open...

Hermione made a comment about charming Harry's goggles and disappeared for a few minutes.

The game dragged on and on through the gale and the down poor and the lightning, and Mia sat in her own little world, imagining a much different reality. She sat on a big over stuffed couch in front of the roaring fire, wrapped in a blanket as Gabe sat near her telling her all about a Quidditch game, Lupin sat in a chair nearby reading a book, as the radio played soothingly in the background of his house, her house, the house she shared with her Godfather. The radio grew louder in her ears, the howling and the clash of lightning standing out in the song. The howling turned to shouting and screaming. Mia opened her eyes to the storm, and to a deep bitter cold that surrounded her and drowned out all other feelings except dread. She sprang to her feet before her legs knew what they were doing and tried to collapse on her.

The snitch had been seen, the crowd had been cheering for their team seeker to reach it, but the cheering had turned to screams when something dreadful had emerged from the storm. Many something dreadfuls had flooded the field, had swarmed after the Gryffindor seeker, and he had fallen. Mia searched with her eyes, there was another close by, she could feel it, she could hear the familiar pleading. If only she could see in this storm.

* * *

_It had come to the game. It had been kept away from Its food for far too long and It couldn't resist the gathering. Its swarm had come with It. The swarm had gone after the boy, the boy with the fantastically horrible memories, but It had sensed the girl, the daughter of Black; the man who had disgraced the Dementors. It wanted Its revenge, wanted to kiss Black's soul away after the embarrassment he had laid upon the Dementors, but the girl would do in Black's absence. It had been hungry for far too long. The swarm had gone after the boy, made him fall, but Dumbledore had forced them away before they could feast. But It had been missed, coming around the back of the stand and with Dumbledore distracted with the fallen boy, It could feast on the girl's soul in peace. Its swarm would be so jealous._

_It came up on the girl, the foolish girl, pointing her wand at It didn't realize she was no match for a Dementor. All the other students fled the girl and Dementor, all except a boy of strong tasty conflicting emotions who stood next to the girl, gripping her hand tightly. Foolish boy, would make a perfect dessert after It kissed away the girl's soul, he would be next. It swooped in at the pair, sucking their emotions as It flew, lifting Its hood and... NO-!_

The Dementor tore away from the boy and the girl and the wolf, the shining, glowing white wolf. The Dementor flew away through the storm with the wolf giving pursuit snapping at the Dementor's cloak tail with his sharp fangs.

* * *

"Come on! We need to hide!" Mia had Gabe's hand tight in hers as she pulled him through the crowd of frightened and soaked student's pushing into the castle. Gabe protested at first as Mia forced her way through the crowd, but as he realized where she was taking him, he followed willingly. She led him up stair cases and down corridors until they came to the come-and-go room. Mia didn't even pause as she forced the door open, dropped his hand and collapsed onto a couch by the fire. Gabe looked around the warmly furnished room impressed. Mia didn't even pause to imagine the room she wanted created for her, she had just walked in as if there was no doubt what she would find inside.

He plopped onto a chair across from Mia and looked at the girl, waiting for her to explain. She just stared into the fire, seemingly lost in thought. Gabe was feeling much more impatient. "So?"

Mia looked up at Gabe as if just realizing he was there. "What?"

"So why are we here?"

"Oh, right." Mia shook her head, trying to clear it. "I wanted to hide before McGonagall or someone else realized that Dementor had come after us and tried to stick us in the hospital wing." Mia went back to staring into the fire.

"But your patronus! It was a full corporeal patronus! A wolf. I thought you said you had never created one yet."

"No, I hadn't." Mia didn't know what to think. She had thought her patronus would be a tiger, just as her animagus was. The patronus animal was decided based off of a person's nature, Mia was a tiger. The only reason a person's patronus ever changed from their nature was if it took on the nature of someone else, someone they loved. Lupin had explained that to her, and Mia hadn't failed to notice that his patronus was a tiger. But if Mia's patronus was a wolf what did that mean? She had never lived in a world where expressing love and care was allowed. Never before Lupin had she thought someone felt that way about her. And feeling it herself towards someone else? Mia didn't even know what love really felt like.

Mia was pulled out of her thoughts again by Gabe. "So anyways, I think it would just make sense."

"What?"

Gabe sighed. How could he say this for her to understand? "You want to escape the castle sometime in the next few weeks, and I agreed to help you, mostly because I know you will go with or without me and I want to make sure you're safe. Not to mention I know Lupin would skin you and me alive if he finds out you went out. So the only way in good conscience I will agree to this is if we take every precaution. I know Lupin is mostly worried that Sirius Black will attack you, but honestly I'm not too worried about him. In our animagus forms we would be more than enough of a match for him. The only thing that really worries me about going out of the castle is if the Dementors, who clearly have it out for you, are able to sense you in animagus form and try to attack. The only way to make sure you are safe from them is if you teach me how to do the patronus charm. Then we can both fend them off."

Mia answered this with a scowl on her face. "I can take care of myself you know. I chased that Dementor away today didn't I?"

Gabe frowned. He didn't think she was helpless, but how could he tell her that he only cared about her safety because the thought of her hurt scared him more than it should. How could he tell her how important she was to him without her freaking out? He wasn't stupid. He knew she had a hard time thinking in terms of love. But Gabe had grown up in a family of hugs and love and fighting for each other. To him caring about someone was nothing to be ashamed of... unless of course they didn't feel the same. The teenage boy in Gabe still kept him from being completely open about how he felt. "Mia, I know you can take care of yourself. But if Lupin ever finds out I agreed with putting you in danger, he would kill me. At least if I can help defend you, he may not be as angry." Mia seemed to nod in understanding and rose from her chair.

 _See?_ Said the Ravenclaw side of his brain, _offer up a logical reason and no sane person can say no._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Gabe and Mia are safe and sound. Absolutely nothing could go wrong now right?


	86. Search

Over five hours later Gabe knew it was time to call a halt to the patronus casting. It was well past time for dinner and Mia was getting cranky. _Time to get some food into her._ That always helped Gabe's mood improve. He had picked up the patronus spell particularly fast, and Mia had begun grumbling about it being much easier when you weren't facing down a Dementor or listening to your mother's last words. Gabe also thought to himself that it probably didn't help knowing that properly casting the charm would prevent you from hearing the mother you had never known.

But Gabe knew the real reason he had such an easy time casting the charm had been because the focus of his happy memories was standing next to him, speaking encouragement.

When the beautiful shimmering white corporeal patronus erupted from his wand, Gabe smiled widely staring down at his accomplishment and felt the strength and love radiating off of it. The tiger patronus had bounded around the room a few times, Mia wore a strange puzzled look on her face until the patronus had dissipated back into Gabe's wand. Then she had simply turned away from him and crossed her arms muttering that not having a Dementor present clearly made it much simpler, and that Gabe probably wouldn't be able to do it when it counted.

Gabe had just chuckled to himself. "Let's go get some dinner."

They hadn't stepped more than a foot into the Great Hall when Professor McGonagall was on top of them. "Miss Black! Mr. Adewumi! Where on earth have you two been! I have been worried sick that in the commotion you had... oh but never mind. Longbottom had said a Dementor had gone after you. To the hospital wing, the both of you."

Mia gave Gabe an I-told-you-so look and the boy tried to deter the Professor as McGonagall led them right back out of the Great Hall. "But Professor McGonagall, we are both doing just fine, Mia stopped the Dementor before it had gotten anywhere near us."

Professor McGonagall looked at Mia accusingly, not stopping her gate as she pulled Mia and Gabe up the first flight of stairs towards the hospital wing. "And how on earth did you do that?"

Mia sighed. "Professor Lupin has been teaching me the patronus charm for the past few weeks. Really Professor McGonagall, we are fine."

"Oh, you are very far from fine Miss Black. Had us worried sick! Oh, I must call off the search." Mia's eyes got big and she mouthed the word 'search' to Gabe, who shrugged. McGonagall rounded on them looking serious. "You two go straight to the hospital wing. If you so much as stray an inch along the way I will see to it you are both strung up in the dungeons. Do I make myself clear?" Mia and Gabe nodded severely and scampered off up the stairs as soon as McGonagall gestured them off.

* * *

Remus had still been feeling horrible when he woke up that morning. The transformation had been rough and he was unbelievably relieved it was a Saturday and he could sleep the day through, guilt free. There was a Quidditch game, Harry would be playing, and Remus really wanted to get out there and support him, especially because his father never could. But one look at the window in his room made Remus groan and roll back over into his bed. There was nothing in the world that would make him go out in that storm. Guilt over a debt to a dead friend or not: he was staying in bed. He would sleep the morning away and ask a house elf to bring him lunch, sleep the afternoon away and maybe find Mia for dinner. Lupin groaned and buried his head under the blankets, allowing the rain beating on the stone walls to lull him asleep.

Lupin slept through the morning waking long enough to eat a light lunch, then he passed out again just as planned. What wasn't planned however was when McGonagall banged down his door a quarter after four. He wrapped a robe around himself, covering his pajamas and opened the door. "Oh, sorry to bother you Remus, it's just..." McGonagall looked anxious, worried almost.

"Not at all Professor McGonagall, what seems to be the problem?"

"Oh it's probably nothing Remus," He knew it must be serious for she hadn't even bothered with her daily ritual of reminding him to call her Minerva, a habit Remus was sure he would never adapt to. "It's only we had a bit of a mishap a few hours ago at the Quidditch game, it was a mess of confusion, and I was just wondering if you had seen Amelia."

Remus got that feeling in his stomach that told him something bad was coming. "No, she hasn't been here all day. Tell me exactly what happened." Remus grabbed his clothes off a chair and walked into his dressing room to change while McGonagall told him about the Quidditch match and the Dementor attack. "The last we have knowledge of her, Gabriele Adewumi was with her and a Dementor we had missed was going after them. Now it was a few hours before we realized she wasn't accounted for and we have searched the castle as quietly as possible. This was the last place I thought to look. It's probably nothing Remus, and I don't wish to worry you so soon after you've been ill, but I thought you should know, given the current situation with Sirius Black."

Lupin emerged from the dressing room, boots laced tight to his legs with his thickest cloak wrapped around him. "I'm going out to look for her." McGonagall started to protest. "She is my responsibility, and I WILL find her if she is in that storm. There are a few places I wish to check, I will send word via patronis when I find anything. Keep searching the castle, double check the owlery, astronomy towers and..." Remus sighed. "I trust Adewumi, but check the usual lovers hideaways just in case. I would prefer them hidden away in one of them than out in that storm with..." Remus didn't even want to think of the possibility of Sirius having got to her. He didn't really think the man would hurt his own daughter, but if he really was insane he could do anything...

Remus left the castle and began trudging through the muddy grass, streaming rain, and gale force winds. If he had been smart he would have cast basic weather charms on himself, but worry for Mia had prevented him from remembering. And after being in the rain for more than a moment he was soaked to the bone. He couldn't decide where to look first, the forest or the shrieking shack. She wouldn't be in the forest with the wolves in this weather, and Gabe was with her so he would have made her go back to the castle if they were able, so that left, hurt and in the forest, or God forbid, trapped by Sirius. But Gabriel was with her, he was good with offensive spells and he trusted the boy, he would protect her. Of course if she wasn't in danger it probably meant they were off snogging somewhere, and Remus would kill Adewumi, there was no doubt in his mind about that. Even though their relationship had seemed completely friendly so far, Remus knew where those things always ended.

The shrieking shack; the horrible memories surrounding the place made Remus never want to set foot near it ever again. He would start there… but maybe he would take the long way and skid the edge of the forest. Someone should have looked for Sirius in the shack a long time ago, there would be evidence if that was where he was staying, but Remus didn't want to admit that to himself. It would make it feel too much his fault. But he would look there for his Goddaughter. Even if the walk did take twice as long in this storm. He wouldn't go through the tunnel, Sirius could have rigged that to warn him, no he would walk to Hogsmeade.

Remus made it almost the whole way, the shack in sight, walking against the storm when a white shimmering tabby cat darted through the storm in front of him. The cat patronus opened its mouth and Remus had to crouch to hear McGonagall's voice. "Remus, she is her, they both are. They are in the hospital wing." and with that the patronus dissipated.

Remus turned around and almost ran the distance back to the castle, the gale of the storm pushing him along. He should have still been responsible and looked in the shack to see if Sirius had been there, but he needed to see Mia first, make sure she was safe. He stumbled and fell into the sopping grass a few times along the way, but his anger at McGonagall for not explaining why she was in the hospital wing or if she was ok, and the fear that something was wrong, that she was hurt pushed him faster. He had to get to her, help her if she was hurt, ring her bloody neck if she was safe, and just hug her no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor poor Lupin. I feel like that should be the theme of this story :] anyways, comment and tell me what you thought!


	87. Hospital wing

Mia and Gabe made their way to the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey swooped in on them, making them lay on cots and forcing chocolate into their hands, despite their confessions that they were fine. In a corner Harry was stretched out on a bed looking glum. As soon as Madam Pomfrey was out of the room, Gabe stood up and made his way over to Harry's cot.

"Hey Harry, sorry about the game." Sorry? Mia was confused, why was Gabe sorry? No one had caught the snitch, right? So there would be a rematch, right? Ug, another bloody match for Mia to sit through. "Diggory definitely had a clear advantage." Mia really needed to figure out what a diggory was. Oh who was she kidding, she really didn't care. Gabe kept talking, "No worries though, if we crush Hufflepuff, Gryffindor could still redeem itself. Of course that would mean you have to cream us in the finale, and good luck to that. Oh God Harry! What bloody happened to your broom!"

But Mia never got a chance to hear Harry's reply for at that moment a soaking wet defense professor came storming into the hospital wing, his anger literally making the rain evaporate off of his cloak in billows of steam. Lupin marched across the hospital wing heading straight for Mia, daggers in his eyes. "Where on earth HAVE YOU BEEN!"

Mia realized the error she had made by insisting they hide until the excitement had calmed down. Mia forgot again that there were people who would be distressed if she went missing. Lupin had still been feeling too ill to go to the Quidditch game and yet he had clearly been out searching the Hogwarts grounds in the storm looking for Mia.

When Lupin got close enough to Mia he pulled her into a crushing hug, soaking her with the rain in his cloak. Apparently the repelling charms had worn off. "Thank God you are OK." Lupin pulled away from Mia as suddenly as he had hugged her and held her by both shoulders rather firmly at arm's length. "You don't look hurt so where on earth have you been?" By the last word of this Lupin was staring daggers at Gabe.

Mia found her voice. "After the Dementor attack I wanted to get away and think so Gabe and I went off to practice defensive spells." Mia didn't want to tell anyone about the Room of Requirement, partly because she didn't want anyone else to know about it and partly because she wasn't sure if they were allowed to be there, especially unsupervised. People may get the wrong idea.

Lupin straightened up at this and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Professor McGonagall said she searched the whole castle and that you were nowhere to be found, so then where does that put you exactly?"

Mia didn't want to answer and divulge her secret, but Gabe seeing the practicality of being honest cut in. "We were in the Room of Requirement. We go there sometimes to study when the Library is too crowded." Simple, true enough, and unbelievably Ravenclaw. Yes, anyone would buy that excuse from Gabe.

The look on Lupin's face however said that he wasn't. "Impossible. The Room of Requirement is a myth. It doesn't exist." Lupin sighed. "Listen if you tell me the truth I promise I won't get mad, even if it means you were somewhere… restricted."

Mia didn't quite understand Lupin's hesitation or the look on his face, but Gabe seemed to get it and responded. "Professor, we weren't doing anything like that. We really were in the Room of Requirement. Mia said she discovered it ages ago, we really were practicing defensive spells. I asked Mia to teach me the Patronus charm since after the Quidditch game it became clear she would be safer if I knew it as well."

Mia crossed her arms over her chest. "I can take care of myself."

The two men in front of her seemed to not hear her as they continued talking amongst themselves. "What exactly happened at the game, I believe I missed that part." Lupin seeming to accept at least half of Gabe's confession walked over to Harry looking apologetic. "Professor McGonagall did at least tell me the first bit about the Dementors, I am truly very sorry to hear about your broom Harry, but I am thankful to hear you are just fine." Harry and Remus exchanged a few words and then Gabe explained what happened with the Dementor coming after them. When Gabe mentioned that Mia had cast the patronus Mia cut in with a 'Yeah! See!' and Lupin was rather impressed to hear the strength of the charm. "Looks like we can end our weekly sessions then."

Harry started asking about the patronus charm, and asked if Lupin could teach him. Lupin agreed to do so after the Christmas Holidays, and then asked a house elf to bring them all a large dinner. When the four of them were all settled down with food, Lupin looked across at Mia and Gabe with a stern expression. "Now about this Room of Requirement."

Mia sighed and set down her fork. "I found it the summer after my first year when I was exploring the castle. You know the empty corridor on the seventh floor where there's the portrait of the wizard struggling to teach trolls ballet?"

"Yes, yes, the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, I know where you are talking about. But it can't be there. James, Sirius, Peter and I explored this castle from top to bottom when we were in school, we would have known."

Mia shook her head. "Just walking by or searching every room isn't enough, you have to need it. I don't think the room actually exists when no one is in it. You have to be thinking 'I need a bathroom' or something like that."

Harry laughed at that. "Is that how you found it?"

Mia really didn't want to explain she found the room while looking for a room to brew the very illegal Animagus potion so she just shrugged. "Something like that."

Lupin shook his head in disbelief. You will have to show it to me some time. I can't believe it was here the whole time and we never found it."

Gabe swallowed his roast beef before speaking. "It's not like the four of you could have discovered all the secrets of Hogwarts while you were in school."

The look Lupin gave Gabe made the Ravenclaw feel impressed. They spend the rest of the evening listening to Lupin tell stories that he and his friends had gotten up to in their school days. Gabe was impressed by the pranks they had come up with, Harry was clearly loving listening to stores of his father and occasionally his mother, and Mia couldn't help but notice it sounded like Lupin was leaving big chunks out, chunks he probably didn't want to tell his students about, encouraging them to break the rules he had so clearly broken.

After dinner, and a round of potions from Madam Pomfrey (a few extra for Lupin) Mia, Gabe and Lupin bid goodnight to Harry who had to stay in the hospital wing. Lupin insisted on walking Mia and Gabe to their common rooms, dropping Mia off first. Before she spoke the password for Sir Cadogan Lupin stopped her. "Now, I realize nothing horrible and tragic happened tonight, but I must impress upon you the seriousness of the situation. There is a murderer on the loose and dangerous Dementors on the grounds who seem especially interested in his daughter.” Mia winced. “I know you are used to looking out for yourself, but you need to understand that you are not alone here. There are people in this castle who care about you and would be extremely upset if anything happened to you. Now I feel it goes without saying, next time ANYTHING happens in or around this castle that is unusual or dangerous, if you do not immediately come and check in with me, and you survive, I will hex you within an inch of your life and never allow you out of my sight again. Do you understand?" Mia nodded, but nodded with fear. "Now, off to bed with you, while I have a word with Mr. Adewumi."

Mia nodded and spoke the password. As she climbed through the portrait hole she looked back just long enough to see a terrified look on Gabe's face before the portrait swung shut. Mia shrugged off the strange protective side of Lupin, although it did it make her feel rather loved, and ignoring cries of curiosity from the Weasley Twins, and a look from Hermione, wandered off to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you enjoying papa bear Lupin?


	88. Assert and Protect

The next month and a half before the Christmas Holidays passed by swiftly for Mia. Although there were a few moments that stood out in her month. The morning after Lupin had his talk with Mia and then his separate talk with Gabe, Mia had tried to find out how it had gone. Gabe had responded with a simple "Don't worry about it." Mia had asked and asked but Gabe had simply wolfed down his breakfast before heading out of the great hall to head off to Quidditch practice. The only evidence that Lupin had even had a talk with Gabe was evident whenever the two males crossed paths. Every time Lupin came over to wish Mia a good morning or share a few words when they passed in the hallways, Lupin would speak to the two students, then wish Mia a good day and Lupin and Gabe would give each other a nod. This nod drove Mia crazy. It wasn't a casual nod, it was a nod with lots of eye contact that said 'we have secrets.' Boy secrets, things girls don't understand.

The nod aside, Mia's day became even more complex when she left the Great Hall and headed off to the library to work on her transfiguration homework. Hermione joined her at the back table after a short time of Mia struggling with understanding why her silver ball still felt and smelled like an orange.

"Um, Mia?"

"Yeah, Hermione?" Mia responded slowly, not really in the mood to talk.

"Did you do the homework for Defense Against The Dark Arts?" Hermione sounded funny, perhaps she was nervous she got something wrong and wanted to compare? She really needed to relax more.

"No, not yet, I still need to write out the section on the attributes of the Hinkypunk."

"Oh no, I mean the other homework, the one we were assigned by Professor Snape."

Mia started scowling again. "Of course not. Snape never should have assigned that in the first place." She hadn't even returned to learning the Wolfsbane potion yet she was so angry with Snape.

"Right of course." Silence. Was she ok? Hermione backing down on homework this easy? Especially considering the homework had not been officially dismissed.

"Um, Mia?"

Deep sigh. Mia set down her book. "Yes, Hermione?"

"You spend a lot of time with Professor Lupin outside of class with him being your Godfather and all." Not a question, just a statement.

"Yeah, of course I do, I will be going to stay with him over the summer so it only makes sense that I get to know him as much as I can before then." Mia picked her book back up. Hermione already knew this. She really needed to focus.

"Right, right, of course." Hermione seemed to frown deeply. "But have you ever noticed anything odd about him?"

A sudden and severe realization dawned onto Mia. Eyes wide, Mia looked over into Hermione's face and saw fear mixed with understanding in the girl's eyes. Mia jumped up and pulled Hermione out of the library. She didn't stop pulling the girl along until she found a corridor she knew was void of any living or non living sentient being. When they stopped Mia turned on the girl. "You figured it out." It wasn't a question, but the statement seemed to surprise Hermione.

"You already knew?!" Hermione almost shrieked.

"Of course I know! He's my Godfather, I'm going to be living with him by the end of the year."

"But... Is he safe?"

"Hermione! You've met the man! He's not some evil monster, he just has a bad night once a month. That's more than I can say for Lavender, and we've been sharing a dorm with her since first year. As long as he takes the potion Snape has been brewing for him then he stays in his mind when he transforms and he's no danger to anyone."

"Oh so that's what Professor Snape has been giving to Professor Lupin, Harry and Ron thought it was poison or something."

Mia laughed and shook her head. "No, believe it or not, Snape is helping him. Though he's only doing it on Dumbledore's orders. He obviously hates Lupin, though that should be obvious as he only assigned that homework knowing someone would figure it out. And when someone does figure it out and the student’s parents find out, then Lupin will get sacked."

Hermione seemed to think on this for a few moments. "Well, I won't tell anyone as long as Dumbledore is aware of it. Who else knows?"

Mia counted off on the list. "Well Dumbledore obviously, then there's you, me, Gabe, McGonagall, Snape and Madam Pomfrey. I told Gabe, because he's my best friend and Lupin said it was ok as long as he didn't tell anyone before the school year was up, and McGonagall knows because she was his head of house when he was in school, and Madam Pomfrey took care of him, patching him up when he was younger. Snape found out when they were in school together, you know Harry's dad, my dad and Lupin were all friends, and I guess my dad played a joke on Snape that almost got him killed, but Harry's dad saved him and Snape found out. That's why Snape hates Harry and me."

Hermione nodded along to this news, some of it seemed to be new to her, other bits old. Finally she began with some of the questions Mia knew were coming? "Why can't Gabe say anything until after the school year? Shouldn't it be a secret forever?"

Mia shook her head. "Lupin knows with the curse on the position, he won't be coming back for a second year. Obviously the easiest way for him to get fired would be for people to find out he's a werewolf. With the prejudice against him, he wouldn't last a few hours. So his main goal is just to get past exams. Apparently the fifth year and up students are struggling with their Owl's and NEWT's so Lupin is trying to prepare them as best he can."

Hermione frowned. "You know maybe there really is a curse on the position. With a curse on the position, and teachers coming and going so often, very few students will ever be able to pass their NEWT's and without your DADA NEWT's you can't become an Auror. The most sure way to take over a civilization would be to cripple it so that not even the future generations are fully equipped to stop you. And after You-Know-Who took out most of the older generations fighting force in the last Wizarding war, I doubt there have been many under the age of 30 who have been added to the Auror ranks."

"Gosh Hermione. That's a really frightening thought. I wonder who it was that put the curse on the position in the first place." Mia shook her head, shaking off the worry. "I guess it's a good thing You-Know-Who is dead."

Hermione frowned at her comment but Mia decided to leave the academic hopes of the future to minds like her Godfather and Hermione. Mia patted the girl on the shoulder and the two headed back towards the library, Mia, feeling brighter knowing Hermione would keep the secret, and Hermione, unknowingly to Mia, frowning with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

That Monday Professor McGonagall made her rounds on the Gryffindor table finding out what students would be staying behind for Christmas. Mia was excited to hear Hermione and Ron would be staying behind with Harry again this year. Professor Flitwick had to make a second pass before he realized Gabe was at the Gryffindor table. When he asked to make sure Gabe was still going home for Christmas like he usually did, Gabe shook his head and swallowed his big bite of eggs. "No sir, my parents said I could stay this year. They decided to take the opportunity to go on a trip to a sunny beach somewhere for Christmas."

Professor Flitwick was happy to hear Gabe would be joining them for Christmas in the castle, but not as excited as Mia was sitting next to Gabe. "Gabe! I can't believe you're staying!"

"Yeah you know, I thought it would be fun. Besides, you've told me before how amazing Christmas is here." Mia bounced in her seat as she finished her breakfast. Now that Lupin was in her life it was as if everything was looking up. This was going to be the best Christmas she had ever had.

The next Quidditch game was between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff three weeks later. Mia grudgingly made her way out to the Quidditch pitch wrapped up in a warm cloak, walking with Harry, Ron, Hermione... And Professor Lupin. He had wandered down from the staff table shortly after the Ravenclaw Quidditch team had headed out and just before Mia and the other Gryffindor's had left. Lupin was wearing a cloak just like the rest of the students. He struck up a conversation with Harry and Ron about the game (lots of statistics about Ravenclaw needing to win so Gryffindor would still be in the running, although Mia didn't pay that much attention) and before Mia knew it Lupin had mentioned joining the students in their box. After hearing Lupin talk Quidditch like the best, Harry and Ron were more than game. Lupin smiled big at Mia and the girl knew exactly what he was doing. Lupin wouldn't be sitting in the teacher's box for the game, he would be babysitting Mia.

Mia frowned as she sat down in the stands in between Lupin and Hermione. She didn't appreciate being kept under watch, but she really didn't mind spending the time with Lupin so she didn't gripe too much. The game was fun to say the least. Mia only knew what was happening when the scoreboard changed, or when Lupin would explain why certain things were good or bad, but she had fun cheering on Gabe and the rest of the Ravenclaws all the same. Ravenclaw won by a landslide and apparently this was good for the Gryffindors chance of regaining the cup by the end of the year.

As they walked back to the castle Mia turned to Lupin. "I know what you were doing."

Lupin looked down at her confused for a moment and then nodded. "Mia-"

"No. It's ok. I know you just want to make sure I'm safe. I've never had anyone who cared that much about me before to want to protect me and I know I will just have to get used to it since I'm coming to live with you this summer." She smiled up at the man and he smiled back. "But I still feel the need to assert myself as a girl and someday woman and state that I _can_ take care of myself."

Lupin just chuckled and placed his hand on Mia's back as they walked up the entrance hall. "I respect your right to assert as long as you respect my right to protect." Mia nodded, knowing she would have to put up with an overprotective parent for a long time. She was so thankful for her new family knowing she was no longer alone in this world, and looking up at Lupin and seeing the light in his eyes, she knew he felt the same way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wolfdad.  
> So what do you think? Think the Christmas holidays will be as bright and cheerful as Mia imagines?


	89. Why can't we be friends?

Two weeks later was a Hogsmeade weekend and Mia spent the day having tea with Lupin and the two stayed up late as Lupin told stories. Mia got back to her room late that night and most everyone in the dorm was asleep needing to get up early to take the Hogwarts Express back to London for the Holidays. Hermione although was awake. "Mia?"

Mia whispered back. "Yeah Hermione?"

"Did- did you see Harry tonight?"

"No. Why, did he need me?"

"Um... No, don't worry about it. It's nothing." Mia shrugged to herself over Hermione's weird behavior and just climbed into her bed, excited to sleep.

The next morning Mia awoke early and wandered down to Breakfast. She spent the morning with Gabe, chatting with an assortment of Professors about odd things. Gabe's eyes lit up when Professor Sprout began a story on how she lost five inches of height in her youth dealing with a rare plant she discovered in her studies. Mia whispered in Gabe's ear. "See, I told you things are different over breaks! The teachers are more relaxed." This comment was followed up by Professor Dumbledore launching in on a story of a bad case of Scabies he developed after smelling a tulip.

As the morning progressed Mia and Gabe decided to do a bit more exploring of the castle. (Or as Mia thought it, showing Gabe cool things she'd discovered while trying to convince him to let her into the Ravenclaw common room, one of the few places in the castle she'd never seen.) As they crossed the entrance hall Mia realized she hadn't seen Hermione or the boys yet, and just at that moment they came down a staircase. The moment she saw them Mia felt something was off. Hermione and Ron were looking at Harry with worried glances and the moment Harry spotted Mia his eyes seemed to fill up with fire.

"Did you know?" Harry's voice sounded sharp, and it startled Mia.

"Know what? Harry are you ok?" Mia stepped forward a bit worried.

"So nice of you to ask. Yes, _I_ am fine but my parents are dead. All because of _your_ father."

It felt like she had been stabbed. He knew, and clearly he wasn't as understanding as Lupin and Gabe had assured her he would be. "Harry, I'm sorry."

He cut her off. "Sorry? Why should you be sorry? It's not like that will change anything!"

"Harry, we really-" Hermione reached out and put a hand on Harry trying to calm him, but he shook it off and cut off her words.

"No! He was their friend! He was their friend and he betrayed them! Your father is the reason my parents are dead Mia! He ratted them out! He killed them! Betrayed them! That's all the Black family is good for, betrayal and backstabbing." Mia felt ice poring over herself in waves of rage.

"I lost my parents too Harry! That's not my dad out there! My dad died the day he stopped fighting for our side! Just be happy your parents' final act was one of love for you! I never even got that much!"

"That's it isn't it! That's why you helped your father get into the castle Halloween night!"

"What are you talking about? Are you mental?!" Mia didn't think any rational person still thought that. Although Harry wasn't currently rational. Mia was filling with icy rage with each word.

"You're just jealous! After all this time, he's finally escaped and instead of trying to reunite with you, he's focusing all of his energy to killing me! You never mattered to him at all."

Mia froze at Harry's words as they cut deep. Mia didn't realize until just that moment exactly how much it really hurt her that her father was after Harry and not her. It was as if she didn't matter to anyone at all. The waves of anger that were coming off of Mia in sheets seemed to drop suddenly and shatter like ice on the stone floor. Before Mia knew what was happening, tears were falling out of her eyes and she took off at a run for the Gryffindor tower.

Gabe froze for a moment, snapped out of it and shot daggers at Harry. "This isn't finished." And took off at a run after Mia, but she had used a few short cuts he didn't know and he found himself on the landing outside of where he knew the entrance to the tower to be, and after checking with the portrait knew she was inside. A wicked idea came to him and Gabe wandered off a bit and hid behind a statue on the landing to wait.

* * *

Back in the entrance hall Harry seemed to deflate when Mia ran away in tears. he didn't need Ron's shocked look or Hermione's disapproving eyes to tell him he had been wrong. Harry felt bad, but not bad enough to apologize as he thought of his mother's plea of mercy for her son.

Hermione, knowing a bit more of the struggles Mia often felt of being abandoned, left Ron and Harry and decided to go check on Mia. As she neared the portrait of Sir Catagon Hermione didn't notice the deep brown eyes watching her from behind a statue. Hermione spoke the password to the portrait and as Sir Catagon swung open something huge and chocolate brown shot past her into the common room.

As Hermione scrambled in after it she saw with shock a giant brown wolf stood in the middle of the common room. The wolf seemed to raise up its nose ignoring Hermione and sniffed the air then it took off at a run up the girls staircase. Fearing for Mia's life, Hermione raced up the stairs and into her dorm room to see the strangest sight she had ever seen at Hogwarts. Mia was laying face down on her bed crying her eyes out and the wolf was nudging her arm lovingly trying to get her to look up. Mia looked up and saw the huge wolf staring straight into her face and immediately wrapped her arms around the wolf's neck and began crying into its scruff. Hermione, remembering Mia's devotion to the wolves of the Forbidden Forest and their loyalty to her simply shook her head and shut the door, planning on sleeping in Ginny's empty dorm that night.

* * *

The next morning Mia woke slowly. Her face pressed into the soft fur of her pillow. She breathed in deeply taking in the sweet smell of spices and pine needles, and a peace and calm she had never felt before rushed through her. She started to drift off again as her head rested on the rise and fall of her pillow.

Something clicked on in her brain as she realized her pillow was not supposed to breathe, or be furry. And it definitely did not smell like a set of Gabe's robes.

Mia opened her eyes and looked slowly around her as she realized that she was cuddled up against the body of a huge wolf. Her head was resting on his chest tucked neatly under his chin and her hand was wrapped in a section of his dense fur. As she stirred slightly the sleeping wolf seemed to wake with one deep snoring breath. She felt his head move slightly and felt a sudden moisture as he licked her lightly on the forehead.

Mia let out a small giggle and scooted back on the bed so that she could look properly at the wolf in the face. Not for the first time Mia found herself wishing she could speak to an animagus like she could a normal wolf. Mia looked into Gabe's large copper brown eyes and the wolf just stared back at her with the same peace she'd felt before. Memories of the day before, Harry's comments and her crying her eyes out flooded back to her and she wiped a hand over her face cringing in shame. Gabe, sensing her emotion better as a wolf just swatted her hand away from her face with his big paw and licked her again right on the nose making her laugh again and wipe it off with force.

Once she was sure all of the dog slobber was off of her face she rolled onto her back. "You know, it's kind of nice. The other wolves in the forest smell terrible, but you actually smell really good." Then as an afterthought, she added. "I always did want a pet dog growing up." The wolf barked in a way that sounded very much like a laugh and Mia sat bolt upright looking at Hermione's bed. To her utter relief, it was empty. Knowing her train of thought Gabe had stopped barking immediately and was looking at Mia with an apologetic face. Mia just laughed at him. "Come on, we should really get you out of the tower." Mia got up, and seeing the disarray of her hair, made Gabe wait for her to re braid it before they could leave the room. Gabe watched amazed not understanding how girls braided hair so well.

As soon as Mia's hair was neat and her robes that she'd slept in were smoothed, the girl and the wolf slipped down the girls' staircase. Mia stuck her head out and saw that the coast was clear and the wolf followed her out.

"Sleep well?" Mia jumped and so did the wolf as they spun around and saw Hermione sitting in a chair by the fire reading a stack of books. "Don't worry, I won't tell." Hermione eyed the wolf with apprehension. "Is it safe?"

Mia looked down at Gabe thoughtfully. "Completely. Well, if he knows you at least." Gabe did a good job of standing next to Mia looking brave and protective.

Hermione tore her eyes away from the wolf long enough to look at Mia. "Listen, I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. Harry was really upset, and I should have stopped him but... I'm sorry. For everything, for how people are treating you, for the fact that the wolves of the forest have to be your friends because your classmates are being too foolish." Hermione looked close to tears.

"No Hermione, it's ok, I understand. You have nothing to apologize for. I know you have taken on way too much school work and I know how exhausted you are. But I know what a friend you are and I know I can always count on you not to hate me. You and Gabe, the only ones who won't turn on me."

Mia was thoughtful for a moment running her hand through Gabe's fir, then she walked over to Hermione and gave her a big hug. Then Gabe, dropping his shoulders until he looked like nothing more than a big dog prancing over to Hermione with his tongue lolling out. The girl drew back for a moment but then stuck out her hand and the wolf licked it. Hermione giggled and started scratching behind Gabe's ear. Mia laughed at the situation then told Hermione she needed to get the wolf out of the castle before anyone else saw him. Gabe reluctantly left his head scratching and followed Mia out of the portrait hole.

Gabe was expecting Mia to lead him to a deserted corridor so he could change back and they could spend the rest of their day as humans, but before Gabe knew it, Mia had led him out onto the Hogwarts grounds and he was racing a beautiful white Bengal tiger through the Forbidden Forest, as the tiger fought hard to forget the human side of life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww, wolf Gabe and rule-breaking <3 what could possibly go wrong in the forbidden forest?


	90. Chance encounter

After being hurt so badly by Harry and his words, Mia regressed to her old way of dealing with her emotional pain and ran away from it as a tiger. The only change of course was that this time she had Gabe by her side trying to comfort her and ultimately get her to deal with the issue and heal. Mia on the other hand was incredibly good at evading his comments as she busied herself with officially introducing Gabe to the pack. There was a bit of tension when Gabe in his wolf Animagus form first greeted the pack and the head alpha wolf Fleetfoot. Gabe, although still young in wizard terms, had the pheromones of an alpha wolf and that meant competition for Fleetfoot. The pack raced to meet Mia when they smelled her, but with one good whiff of Gabe in all his wolf glory, Fleetfoot gave a short bark and the pack halted at attention. “ _What are your intentions with my Pack, alpha?”_

Gabe bowed his head, understanding the situation somehow. "I submit wholly and completely to your advanced leadership, Fleetfoot."

 _“Glad to hear it.”_ Fleetfoot responded, and he visibly relaxed. And with that the pack went on with their usual greeting ritual of sniffing each other. A few of them had met Gabe once before when he was in wizard form. After dogging around with the pack for a while they had a good layabout, lounging in the decomposing leaves of the forest floor.

It was relaxing with the wolves. They didn't care about wizard problems and their problems had more to do with things like food supply, and territorial arguments with the other creatures of the forest. Mia loved listening to the wolves reports of problems that were so far removed from her own life, and their discussions of solutions. Hearing their report of the Dementors who frequently made passes through the woods while guarding the barriers of Hogwarts. These monsters troubled the wolves, but not in the same way they troubled Mia and Gabe. When Bearchaser first commented on his frustration with the dark creatures passing through the wolves territory, Gabe immediately tried to get Mia to head back to the castle. But the wolves, confused as to why the creatures scared the two humans, stalled him.

Fleetfoot was the first to respond. “ _We do not run and hide when the darkbirds cross our territory, we stand and bark and chase them away.”_

"But don't they make you feel... Cold?" Gabe was impressed at the wolves bravery.

 _“Cold? Yes they bring a cold where they go, and this was troubling under the heat and the change season, but this is the cold season. More cold cannot hurt the hunt now. Now we only care that they invade territory that is ours.”_ The other wolves let out a bark of agreement.

"So they don't make you feel sad?" Mia was in awe of what she was hearing. Any human who spoke of a dementor shivered in remembrance. Not of the cold but of the fear and hopelessness that came with the cold.

_“Not sad, WitchPup, only angry.”_

Mia thought about this for a moment and then it clicked in her brain. Any human spoke the same way of the dementors, but the wolves weren't human. Gabe seemed to beat her to the thought as always for he turned to her before she finished hers. "They don't have the same effect on the animal mind."

"Does that mean we are safe as animals?" Mia tried to keep the comment casual, and not as blindly hopeful as she felt. But Gabe only shrugged his wolf shoulders. Mia turned her thoughts away from the dementors. "So what else has been going on with the Pack?"

Bearchaser continued listing off information from his daily sentry reports, commenting on the activities of the Acromantulas or Disgustingcrawlers as the wolves called them. He told them about the lack of game in the forest this season due to the Wizards with the darkbirds making such a ruckus along the perimeter of the castle building an invisible wall that felt weird and made the best game leave. He also told them about the dog that had been crossing their territory trying to find game. The dog was skinny and not as fast as the wolves, so the pack made it a sport to chase him off whenever they caught his scent.

Mia and Gabe got in a discussion over this about whether it was right and where the dog came from. Mia took the perspective of animals will be animals, but Gabe thought maybe a student had snuck their pet to Hogwarts and had left it in the forest in the hopes of not getting into trouble.

"Come on Gabe, who would bring their dog if it wasn't allowed?"

"I've still bought Archimedes to Hogwarts with me since first year."

"Yeah but Archimedes is a cat. Cats are allowed at Hogwarts Gabe."

"No, Archimedes is a Kneazle. They aren't just 'not allowed' they are illegal if you don't have a license witch of course my parent's have but I don't."

"Gabe! Why did you bring him them! You could be expelled! Or arrested! How did your parents even allow it?"

"Oh please Mia, my parents don't care. I raised Archimedes from a cub, and my parents trust me. And I doubt Archimedes is the only one here. My point is, if someone wanted to bring their dog, they could have."

"But Bearchaser, didn't you mention the extreme lack of student's in the forest this year?" The wolves, completely captivated by the two wizards arguing about things they barely understood, simply nodded in a very un-wolflike way. "See? The Dementors have been keeping even the Weasley twins out of the forest, so what student would keep their dog in the forest?"

"Mia, that's my point. Someone probably snuck their dog to Hogwarts planning to keep it in the forest and coming to check on it, but then with the Dementors moving in they have just abandoned the dog. And now it's starving!"

This part the wolves understood and Fleetfoot took this moment to cut in. “ _This is the way of the forest. He starves or we do. Pack does not share with non pack.”_

"But why not invite the dog into the Pack?"

_“No. The dog is no packmate. He is a lone dog. Trying to sneak kills and not acting like a wolf. The dog has spent too much time with humans. He is not pack.”_

Mia decided not to mention that her and Gabe were more human than any domesticated starving dog, but she decided not to mention this. Gabe also decided to drop it and the discussion turned to the packs preparations for winter.

After a few more hours spent wasting the day away in the forest, most of the pack went out to hunt and Mia and Gabe decided to make their way back to the castle. They took the trek slowly, having fun in their animal forms, chasing mice and squirrels. They were a hundred yards from the tree line when they heard rustling in the distance. Both wolf and tiger crouched low, frozen and on alert. They slowly crept closer to the noise. It sounded like a large animal rustling through the dried leaves, and when they rounded a large bramble bush they saw something large and black frantically sorting through the leaves. It was the big black dog. He was so painfully skinny it hurt Mia to see it. He stumbled over a log, trying to dig under a stump, then he turned left sharply and buried his head in a pile of leaves just before jumping forward and landing on another pile of leaves.

Mia suddenly realized he was chasing something, and in a moment saw that it was a small bunny trying its hardest to escape the clumsy dog. With a pang of guilt at the sight of the dog's bony frame, Mia realized the dog was only so clumsy and slow because of starvation. The rabbit managed to slip past the dog and darted off towards where Mia and Gabe were hiding. Gabe seemed to have come to the same conclusion as Mia, for as soon as the rabbit made its escape he leaped out of their hideout and after the rabbit. He had it in his jaws in a moment.

Mia saw the dog freeze in fear at the sight of the wolf. Gabe turned back to the dog, who took a step back, and Gabe tossed the rabbit towards the dog as an offering. The dog just stood rooted to the spot, the dead rabbit lying halfway between the two animals. Gabe took another step forward pawing at the ground as if to persuade the dog into taking the meal, but the dog turned on the spot and made to run away. Gabe, much to the shock of Mia, quickly transformed back into boy and called after the dog. 

"Here boy!" The dog froze on the spot and turned to look back at the boy. "It's ok boy! I'm not gonna hurt you." Mia slinked out of her hiding place crossing to Gabe. Angry at him for being so stupid and angry at herself that she couldn't tell him anything. She lightly gripped his leg in her fangs as if to say 'let's go now.'

Gabe just patted her head. "Give me a minute." He slowly walked towards the dead rabbit at a crouch so as not to intimidate the dog, and picked up the rabbit. "Yuck! This thing looked much tastier a moment ago. It's all yours, big guy." He threw it back towards the dog, the rabbit landing next to him didn't even make the dog flinch. It simply kept staring at the boy, and now the tiger. The dog's courage not to flee at the sight of her impressed her. But she figured she couldn't really count ignorance as courage in a dog that didn't know a tiger when it saw one.

Gabe took another step towards the dog and it immediately stepped back. "No, it's ok. You can trust me. How did you get here boy? Did a horrible student abandon you out here? We can get you more food." He turned to Mia. "We should take him to Hagrid, he would feed him." On that note, the dog, clearly finished with watching a boy talk to a tiger bent down and picked up the rabbit and disappeared into the forest. Mia lightly bit Gabe's leg again. She didn't feel safe with him in wizard form. He was too vulnerable. Gabe sighed and turned back into the wolf. "Well, we tried."

"Gabe!" The moment she knew he could hear her again, Mia let him have it. "What do you think you are doing? You shouldn't have changed in front of him like that!"

"Mia, it's ok! He's a dog, he won't tell anyone." Mia could tell he was laughing at her.

"Oh be quiet." They made their way back towards the castle, following the tree line as close as they could to the building before crossing to a side of the castle they hoped was abandoned. They waited until just before they were at the doors of the entrance hall to transform behind a statue and slip inside the doors. Glancing around the hall, they both let out a sigh of relief as they realized they were alone and darted towards a staircase laughing lightly with the adrenaline of sneaking around.

"Where the bloody hell have you been?" The voice was not loud and billowing, it was quiet and deadly, and made both Mia and Gabe freeze, hearts pounding. "I asked one thing. Do either of you remember what it was?" Mia and Gabe both slowly turned around. A sarcastic remark about Lupin asking lots of questions over the last term died in her throat as she saw his face. The face that always held a glimmer of love and warmth when it looked at Mia was filled with nothing more than rage.

Mia and Gabe both dropped their eyes to the ground. Lupin walked slowly forward until he was standing at the foot of the staircase Gabe and Mia had begun to climb so that even as they looked at their own feet, he was still in their line of sight. "I trusted you." Lupin leaned in to catch Mia's eyes and she reluctantly met them. "You may not take your own life seriously, but I do. You are very important to me and I thought you respected me enough to respect my wishes. I trusted you to keep yourself safe, and you broke that trust." Lupin turned his gaze onto Gabe and Mia dropped her eyes again in shame. She had been truly selfish sneaking out, and now Gabe was going to get into just as much trouble as she was.

Gabe had stopped looking at his feet long before Mia, and when Lupin turned to him, Gabe met his gaze with a set chin ready to take full responsibility. "She could have been killed. Why didn't you stop her?"

Gabe opened his mouth to apologize but Mia beat him to it. "Stop me? Gabe isn't my keeper, he's my friend. You yelled at me for being irresponsible, good, now yell at him for breaking the same rules! Don't yell at him for not stopping me, that just negates everything you just said about trusting me and means you think I'm just some spineless asset." Mia stomped in frustration. Her emotional flood of tears from the day before completely gone. Nothing was left inside of her except for her old familiar anger, blooming up as she looked at Lupin and Gabe. "He's not even coming after me anyways! He only cares about Harry so why should I be afraid of him when he only cares about attacking Harry? I wanted to get out and stretch my legs, go for a walk. Gabe couldn't have stopped me so he joined me! Give him a break and give me a break! Sirius Black doesn't care I exist so why do you? Please, just leave me alone!"

Mia turned on the spot and headed up the staircase towards Gryffindor tower, leaving Lupin and Gabe to discuss her mental state or Harry's outburst the day before or whatever it was that they usually discussed behind her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dadwolf.   
> Obviously Mia isn't trying to be manipulative in this scene, shes just 13, and struggling hard with her 13 year old emotions, but can we just comment for a moment on how REAL it is that one of the best ways to defuse someones anger is to make them feel guilty, or make them pitty you?? 


	91. Nothing

Mia isolated herself away in her dorm with a few good books for the rest of the day and well into the next morning. Hermione remained pleasant with Mia, offering her books and only giving her a few occasional 'I'm worried about you' looks. Mia didn't know why her emotions were playing such havoc in her life recently. She had always had a bit of a temper, but the crying fit of a few days before was completely new and unknown to her. When it came to her feelings and emotions she had always subscribed to the theory that stuffing them down and trying to forget about them was the best plan of action. It had always worked at the orphanage, and it had worked for a while at Hogwarts. Mia only feared that she would lose control again and have another outburst. Crying her eyes out over Harry's words had felt like losing a battle with herself. The battle of keeping herself together and her emotions tightly tucked in. She had gotten so angry at herself for losing control and crying. So when Lupin had yelled, she had resorted once again to anger. Anger felt normal, and made her feel in control. She just had to keep a tight hold of the guilt and regret she had for the way she treated Lupin. She knew if she let the regret of her actions surface, she would start crying again. And she didn't want that at any cost. Even if it meant keeping Lupin at arms length.

After reading through all her potion's notes on the wolfsbane potion for the hundredth time, Mia finally made her way out of the tower and headed to the library to look a few things up. Gabe was there and looked relieved at the sight of her. They silently agreed not to talk about what had happened and went on with spending the rest of their Christmas break in peace. Mia knew she would have to apologize to Lupin eventually but decided to put it off for as long as possible would be a better idea. And by better, she was aware she was lying to herself, but she was ok with that for now.

Mia decided the best way to enjoy her Christmas break while avoiding Lupin and suppressing her emotions was to convince Gabe to sneak her into the Ravenclaw common room.

It was the Weasley twins' goal to make it into each of the four common rooms before their graduation, and knowing they hadn't managed this yet made it Mia's goal to make it into each of the four common rooms before their graduation to rub it into their faces.

"Not happening Mia. We may be friends, best friends, but I'm still a Ravenclaw and you are a Gryffindor. I'm not letting you into the tower."

"Come on Gabe! I've already made it into both Slytherin and Hufflepuff! All I need is Ravenclaw and I will have beat the twins!"

Gabe stared at Mia blankly. "How in the world did you manage that?"

Mia smiled knowing she was sucking Gabe into her web of troublemaking. "I stumbled upon the Hufflepuff common room the summer after my first year while exploring. I randomly found it behind a stack of barrels near the kitchens. I got doused in vinegar a few times trying to figure it out before a nearby painting took pity on me, thinking I was a poor lost Puff. You have to tap parts of the barrel, she told me the whole thing!" Mia spoke next in a stiff voice, pretending to be the helpful portrait. 'No no no, you tap the it to the rhythm of Helga Hufflepuff. No not that one, you will get doused again. Yes, yes, second from the bottom in the middle of the second row. You really should write it down!'" Mia laughed. "It totally explains why first year Puffs always have that strange smell!"

Gabe looked suddenly enlightened. "And to think I always thought that was just a prank Peeves liked to play on them or something. So how did you get into Slytherin?"

Mia smiled again. "Draco. I applied a little cousinly guilt and he gave it to me as an end of term gift last year." Mia smirked just like her cousin for a moment. "He even gave me a list of beds to make sure I did something nasty too just before the start of term this year."

Gabe chuckled at the thought of a Slytherin letting a Gryffindor into his common room and then he took a deep breath letting it out as a sigh. "Alright, fine." Mia let out a squeal of delight as she jumped up and gave Gabe a big hug. He blushed deeply before pushing her off. "But only on one condition. You cannot tell anyone it was me who let you in."

Gabe led Mia up a path on the west side of the castle, and up a tower. Mia knew the Ravenclaw dorm was here in this tower. She had found the door two years before, and at the sight of a blank door with no knob or keyhole, simply a large brass eagle knocker, she knew exactly where she was. Unfortunately, she had never once been able to answer the riddle posed to her when she knocked the eagle knocker. Not that she would be telling Gabe this part of her story as he was bound to see it as a sign of her unworthiness and not let her in.

Gabe walked up to the large door and made a sweeping gesture with his hands. "Welcome, Miss Amelia to Ravenclaw tower." Mia nervously reached up to the eagle knocker afraid there was a rule that if she was the one who knocked she would be the one who had to answer or something. Still the hope that Gabe would at least help her out gave her courage and she dropped the knocker in three loud _cracks._

Mia winced for a moment just waiting for the familiar voice, and when it came it rang out; 

"What does man love more than life?

Fear more than death or mortal strife?

What do the poor have, what the rich require,

And what contented men desire?

What does the miser spend, the spendthrift save,

And all men carry to their graves?"

When it finished Mia stared blankly at the knocker. Her mind as empty as the Great Hall in the summer. Gabe spoke up behind her, nudging her softly. "So?" Mia just looked at him incredulously. "Come on. Just think it through. What do the poor have, what the rich require?"

"Seriously? I have no idea. Love? Freedom? No! A willingness to follow, like from the story of the rich young ruler? Wait, but that doesn't match anything else in the riddle. Bollocks! I can't even remember the rest of it now! UGGGG!"

Gabe just burst out laughing. He lost it for a while, howling like a drunker till Mia's glares of loathing brought him back to the present. "Really Mia? You're over thinking it. Come on, it's not that difficult." He closed his eyes as if remembering something far off, then recited in perfect rhythm. "What does man love more than life? Fear more than death or mortal strife? What do the poor have, what the rich require, and what contented men desire? What does the miser spend, the spendthrift save, And all men carry to their graves?" He nodded along gesturing his hand as if the answer was standing right in front of them. Mia slapped his hand out of the air and he chuckled again. "Fine, do you want me to tell you?"

Mia nodded her head violently. "YES."

Gabe just shook his head, and crossed his arms. "Nothing." And with that the door clicked open and Gabe strode through the door and into the common room leaving a dumbstruck Mia standing in his wake. It wasn't until the door began to close behind Gabe that Mia snapped out of it and darted into the room. Gabe had flopped onto a chair by a particularly beautiful bookcase as Mia surveyed the large round room. It was richly decorated with a midnight blue carpet and large arching windows covered with blue and bronze hangings that led the eyes up to the ceiling, the beautiful ceiling that looked painted with the star constellations of the night sky. The room was all brought together by the wall to wall bookcases that circled the room, save for the doorway Mia was sure led to the dorm rooms. Next to this door was a large white marble statue of a beautiful woman, Mia recognized from Hogwarts; a History as Rowena Ravenclaw.

"So, is it better than your common room?"

Mia tore her eyes from a book case she had a particular interest in exploring, and shot a prideful look at Gabe. "Of course not, us Gryffindor's have it made." Gabe laughed his doubt but didn't press the issue.

The two of them spent the rest of the day in the Ravenclaw room with Gabe's big fluffy white kneazle as their only company. Gabe utterly refused to allow Mia to take a book out of the room, to Mia's frustration. So she resigned herself to writing down a few interesting looking titles she knew the school library was lacking in the hopes of owl ordering them later.

The rest of the Christmas holiday passed as it usually did in the Hogwarts castle. The most amazing cooking smells grew in the halls, glittering Christmas trees decorated with twinkling stars lined the Great Hall, streamers and mistletoe hung from every ledge possible, and mysterious lights shone from inside every suit of armor. These bothered Gabe endlessly as he tried to figure out what was causing them for every time he lifted up a visor, the light went out.

Christmas eve came and Mia and Gabe continued to roam the halls, talking about nothing and everything. They turned a corner on the fourth floor and came across Lupin wandering along and looking worse for wear. With a nod to the teacher Gabe disappeared in a moment and Mia shyly stepped forward, and after a long and awkward pause of looking at her shoes blurted out a messy "I'm sorry."

Lupin simply chuckled and stepped forward pulling Mia under one arm as he continued to wander the hall. "Forget it." They walked along for a while in that manner. Even with Lupin in his weakened state and resting part of his weight on Mia as they walked, Mia still felt a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She was glad to know he wasn't too mad at her. They talked for a while about how her holidays had gone, Mia telling him about her success in making it into all four houses. Lupin was impressed at this, stating that he and his friends hadn't completed this task till well into their sixth year. He left out the part that made his eyes shine with tears as he thought about how like her father she really was. After walking for a while they sat for tea in Lupin's office. Lupin spoke again on his concern for her, and Mia promised for real, to herself and to Lupin not to leave the castle again without teachers present, but Mia refused to talk about Harry or the words he had said. As she suspected, Gabe had explained the situation to Lupin, and Mia had nothing to add on the matter.

As the day grew to evening Mia left Lupin for the night of pain he would endure as the moon rose and went to find Gabe for dinner. Mia was still leery about taking dinner in the great hall as she didn't want to run into Harry, but choosing to sit at the Ravenclaw table with Gabe had made the evening more enjoyable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate riddles, I wrote this like 5 years ago, and got this riddle online somewhere, but even now reading over it, I couldn't remember the answer :]


	92. A Jealous Victory

The next morning Mia awoke to the tearing of paper as Hermione set in on her presents. When Hermione spotted Mia awake she apologized, but instead of being angry Mia simply jumped up and began tearing into her own presents at the foot of her bed with gusto. She received much of the usual she'd come to expect with joy and thankfulness. Clothes from her aunt, a book from Hermione and one from McGonagall, even a very ancient book from Gabe that she had been most keen on from the Ravenclaw common room titled 'Potions theory; past, present, and future.' She also received a very beautiful set of crystal vials from Lupin with a note that read 'For your next groundbreaking discovery in potions.' Lastly at the bottom of the pile sat a small parcel containing an ornate hair comb. The comb was of an old style with long slender teeth and seemed to be made completely of gold crafted into the form of a majestic lion with inlaid rubies. As she looked the comb over, the lion seemed to move and come alive as it hit the light. This caught Hermione's eye.

"Wow Mia! That's beautiful." Mia smiled and held it up for Hermione to get a better look. "Wow." The lion shook out its mane as the sunlight fell across it. "The charm work on it alone is fantastic. It must have cost a fortune. Who gave it to you?"

Mia shook her head. "There wasn't a note on it." Mia looked quizzical for a moment and then shook it off as she jumped from the bed, leaving the comb on her quilt. "Oh well, I've had enough mystery for a lifetime. Whoever sent it will turn up eventually."

Mia Dressed quickly in new clothes from her Aunt and then made her way to the hospital wing to pick up Pepper-Up potions for Lupin. She dropped them off to the still sleeping man before making her way to the Great Hall for breakfast. She joined Gabe again at the Ravenclaw table keeping Harry to her back as she enjoyed her Christmas breakfast and accused Gabe of stealing on her behalf. "Don't worry about it Mia, there are so many books in that room that no one will miss it. It's not like the book belonged to Rowena herself."

"You don't know that Gabe, it is a very old book!"

"Fine, then give it back, I can put it back in the bookcase I found it in." Gabe took a big bite of sausage as Mia turned back to her eggs. There was no way she was giving back the book and Gabe knew it.

The Christmas feast was delicious, and Gabe spoke repeatedly that he had never had a better meal, but begged Mia to never tell his Mum he had said so. Dumbledore had conjured up one small table for the few teachers and students present which only made for a more awkward situation for Mia and Harry who were still avoiding each other at all cost. Thankfully having such an odd mix of staff made the night interesting as Snape, McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout and Flitch all joined in on the merriment, or in Snape's case, lack there of.

After dinner Mia was getting ready for bed, putting away the last of her Christmas gifts and cracker prizes when the dorm room door opened and not Hermione, but Professor McGonagall had entered the room. "Miss Amelia, good evening."

Mia stammered for a moment shocked to see her professor. "Professor, hello." Hermione slipped in the room around the teacher, not making eye contact with Mia.

"Amelia, is it true you received a present of some particular value for Christmas?"

Mia nodded before finding her voice. "Uh, yes. A hair comb."

"Would you mind showing me?" Mia nodded immediately and turned to her trunk. She pulled out the plainly wrapped object again and unwrapping it, handed it to the professor. McGonagall seemed to wince as Mia touched the comb with her bare hand but seemed to relax as Mia handed it over. The Professor turned it from side to side observing it. "And there was no note?" Mia shook her head. "Have you any idea as to its origins?" Mia shook her head again. "I believe it would be best if I hang on to this for the time being and check it over, just to make sure it is safe. You understand, old magical objects like this one often have hidden properties and I just wish to make sure it's safe."

Mia nodded dumbly. "Of course. I mean I doubt there's a curse on it, but feel free."

McGonagall nodded. "I appreciate your understanding. I will return it to you after Professor Flitwick and I have run the proper tests. Have a good night Miss Black, Miss Granger." McGonagall placed the comb into an inside pocket of her robes and left the room. Hermione sat on the edge of her bed looking worried.

"You can relax Hermione. I'm not mad you told. I mean I don't really understand what she's so worried about, but it's not like it had any sentimental value to me, I don't even know who sent it." Hermione seemed to be about to explain herself but a loud shout from the common room cut her off.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN STRIP IT DOWN? IT'S A FIREBOLT!" Mia and Hermione ran down to see what was going on.

"It shouldn't take more than a few weeks." McGonagall was talking to Ron and Harry and holding a very expensive looking broom. "You can have it back as soon as we are sure it's jinx free."

"There's nothing wrong with it! Honestly Professor!" Harry's voice was shaking.

"You can't know that Potter, not until you've flown it, at any rate, and I'm afraid that is out of the question until we are certain that it has not been tampered with. I shall keep you informed." McGonagall disappeared out of the portrait hole with a swish of robes and a glint of a well polished broom.

Harry was silent but Ron started yelling at Hermione. "WHAT DID YOU GO RUNNING TO MCGONAGALL FOR?"

Hermione stood her ground and faced Ron. "Because I thought, and McGonagall agrees with me, that the broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!" And with that Hermione stormed out of the room and back to her dorm, Mia close on her tail. As soon as they got to the dorm, Hermione fell onto her bed looking like she was about to fall to pieces.

Mia just began to climb into bed. "Don't worry Hermione, my father probably is trying to kill Harry again, I should have thought of it myself. Harry and Ron will get over it." As Mia tried to fall asleep she couldn't help but wonder if the comb really was from her father as well. She silently prayed it wasn't as she knew that would mean the broom was from him also, and that only meant her dad was still trying to kill Harry. The worst of it, Mia knew, was that killer broom or not, Harry losing a valuable broom was her fault just as much as it would be Hermione's in Harry's eyes.

* * *

As the end of the year came ever closer the castle got a second feast as Mia and Lupin convinced the Elves to cook up something special for Gabe's birthday. Mia spent the whole day playing along that she had forgotten his day, as so often had happened for Gabe in the past, only for him to have a grand surprise come dinner decked out with streamers and crackers and puddings galore. Even Professor Dumbledore hid waiting to pop out and surprise Gabe as he walked into the Great Hall for dinner. Gabe was startled at the sight of the old man shooting confetti from his wand to say the least.

The rest of the holiday passed faster than Mia would have liked but soon the school was filling back up and classes were starting again. The only change this term seemed to be that Harry and Ron were still not talking to Hermione. Mia and Gabe joined her as often as possible, but the girls workload seemed to keep her isolated. Mia tried to talk to her a few times about her classes and what she suspected was going on, but Hermione wouldn't have it.

For Gabe, the new year meant only one thing. Quidditch. Mia saw little of Gabe the next week as he spent every spare moment practicing for the Ravenclaw vs Slytherin game that would be the next weekend. Game day came and as the weather was on the drizzly side, Gabe enthusiastically wore his new rain charmed goggles that Mia had gotten him for Christmas. Mia suffered through the game, trying her hardest to pretend to be enjoying herself as she cheered him on. Unfortunately not even an amazing pair of goggles helped Ravenclaw's game as Slytherin played dirty and after a long battle, narrowly won. Gabe was in a state after losing to the 'Dirty Snakes' as he would say and spent much of the next two months to the next game (Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor) talking nonstop about Quidditch and their chances and their new seeker Cho and strategy. Thankfully for Mia, she also perfected her silencing charms and began using them often.

As the match approached Gabe began asking Mia what team she would be supporting, Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. "Gryffindor of course!" Gabe looked daggers at her. "Come on, my house hates me enough, I'm not adding rooting for the enemy to the list."

Gabe looked wounded. "Enemy? How's that work?"

Mia glared at him as they sat down for breakfast. "Gabe, just last week you were saying you were going to score so many goals that 'those stinkin' lions' lose even if 'Potter the blundering' caught the snitch."

"And if I recall, you laughed when I called him that." Gabe raised his eyebrows accusingly.

"Yes, but only because he's being mean to me AND Hermione still."

"Really? I thought they would have made up when he got his broom and you got your comb back." Gabe looked down the Gryffindor table where Hermione was hidden behind stacks of books.

"That was before Hermione's cat ate Ron's rat." Mia got a thoughtful look. "You know, I don't actually know if Crookshanks ate him or not, he refuses to give me a straight answer."

The day of the actual match, Gabe was too caught up with the Ravenclaw team to sit with Mia at breakfast, but she got a chance, just before he was swept out to the pitch to flash him the inside flap of her robes where she had a large 'Go Adewumi' Ravenclaw pin hidden in her Gryffindor robes. Gabe smiled widely at the sight of it, and began his enthusiastic walk out to the pitch, standing strong and confident. Mia sat in a Gryffindor box flanked by Hermione and Lupin on either side.

Mia had a hard time following the game once it started. Lee Jordan was spending most of the commentary talking about the firebolt. Apparently it was a very big deal, most likely costing ten times the hair comb Mia currently had her hair pinned up with. She couldn't resist wearing the Lion comb to the game. It looked so nice in her hair. She tried not to feel jealous at the thought of her father sending both her and Harry non life threatening gifts and spending more money on Harry. The gifts probably weren't from him anyways. Maybe she should check her gringotts balance just to be sure...

Gryffindor lead with the first eight goals, but then Ravenclaw got three in, Gabe scoring two. Harry seemed to be doing loops on his broom until three large cloaked Dementors seemed to come out onto the grounds, only they weren't Dementors, Mia knew this over the lack of effect they seemed to have on her. The crowd let out a roar and Harry, much to Mia's surprise shot a large pearly patronis at the dementors and then quickly zoomed off catching the snitch. Mia's jealousy peeked as she heard Lupin shout an 'at a boy' at the sight of Harry's non corporeal Patronus. She later learned the 'Dementors had been a group of Slytherin's dressed up.

She didn't pity Draco for a second as he sat in detention.

After the match Mia went to consul Gabe and the two of them just had fun coming up with mean names for Harry. Neither Gabe nor Mia was done hating him for his words to Mia before Christmas and now Mia was fostering a good bit of jealousy to boot. As evening approached, Mia had no choice but to return to Gryffindor tower. The common room was overflowing with partying and merriment. She dodged through the party as best she could as Fred shoved a butterbeer in her arms. Eventually she ducked into her empty dorm.

The whole house was in the common room celebrating and Mia expertly cast a silencing charm on the door and spent the rest of the evening reading her new books. As the party began to wind down and the other third year girls came to bed, the silencing charm had begun to wear off, but Mia didn't bother to replace it. She snuggled into bed amongst the last of the noises from downstairs including a last 'for he's a jolly good fellow' from the Weasley Twins, before she slowly drifted off to sleep.

Mia awoke in a start to a loud piercing scream.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGG GGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A nice little chapter with lots of small little tidbits thrown in, with one final cliffhanger <3 what do you think could possibly happen next chapter? 🤷♀️
> 
> And now off I go because one of my favorite authors just dropped a new chapter of their story on their website 🎉 I still have bookmarks if anyone wants one! (int or us)


	93. Nightmare

"AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH ! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Mia sat bolt upright in her bed. It was late into the night, and she had heard a scream. Had it been a scream or a dream? The other girls were sitting up in their beds and Mia could hear commotion in the stairway as the other students left their beds to investigate. Definitely not a dream. Mia jumped from bed and made it to the dorm door at the same time as Hermione. The two girls made their way through the other sleepy eyed student emerging from their dorms and slipped down to the common room.

The room was dimly lit with the dying fire of the day before, remnants of the party littering the floor. A group of the third year boys were all standing in the room looking wildly around, Ron looking terrified. More students began making their way into the room.

"Are you sure you weren't dreaming Ron?"

I'm telling you I saw him!"

"What's all this noise?"

"Professor McGonagall told us to go to bed."

"Excellent, are we carrying on?" This was Fred.

"Everyone back upstairs!" Percy came into the room, pinning his head boy pin to his pajamas and trying to gain control of the situation.

Ron still looked terrified and turned to his brother. "Perce, Sirius Black! In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"

The common room went very still and Mia went pale.

"Nonsense!" Percy looked startled. "You had too much to eat Ron, had a nightmare."

"I'm telling you-!"

"Now really enough is enough!" Professor McGonagall was back and she slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and stared around furiously. "I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match but this is getting ridiculous. Percy I expected better of you."

"I certainly didn't authorize this Professor! I was just telling them all to go back to bed. My brother Ron had a nightmare-"

"I DIDN'T HAVE A NIGHTMARE! PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME HOLDING A KNIFE!"

Professor McGonagall just stared at him for a moment. "Don't be ridiculous Weasley, how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"

Ron pointed a shaky finger at the portrait of Sir Cadogan. "Ask him! Ask him if he saw!"

Professor McGonagall glared for a moment and then punched the portrait hole open and stepped outside again. The whole common room listened closely, Mia praying it was all just a dream.

"Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor tower?"

"Certainly, good lady!"

There was stunned silence both inside and outside of the common room.

"You- You _did_? But- But what about the password?"

"He had 'em! Had the whole week's my lady! Read em off a little piece of paper!" The painting sounded proud. Professor McGonagall climbed back through into the common room, her face as white as chalk as she faced the stunned crowd. "Which person," Her voice was shaking. "Which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"

There was absolute silence followed by a tiny squeak as Neville slowly raised his shaking hand into the air.

Mia was one of the only students to return to her dorm room while the castle was being searched. No one slept, the whole house crowded into the common room knowing the castle was being searched for Sirius Black. Mia couldn't stand the idea of sitting amongst them as everyone wondered why her father had broken into the tower to try to kill Ron, or as Ron believed, ripped apart the wrong bed curtains as he tried to kill Harry. Mia sat in one of the large windows of the dorm and stared out onto the grounds wishing she could do anything other than go to classes the next day.

It was just after dawn when the other girls reappeared in the dorm room. Lavender made a few rude comments and Hermione just told Mia they didn't find him. He had escaped again. She sighed deeply and went to take a shower and get ready for the next day. Mia wandered down to the common room, thankful all the students had gone back upstairs to either take a quick nap or get ready for the day. Mia left out the portrait hole knowing she would be the first one in the Great Hall. Maybe she would hang out in the owlery for a short while. She hadn't gone three steps out the portrait hole when she spotted Lupin keeping guard a little down the corridor. He looked up at the sound of her footsteps and gave her a soft smile. He looked like he’d had even less sleep than she had. She walked up to him and he threw his arm around her shoulder and they walked together for a short while. "I'm sorry Mia Bell."

Mia just sighed deeply. "Again with a knife. Could he look anymore like a maniac killer?" Lupin chuckled, but Mia could tell something was weighing on him. "Are you ok? Why were you standing guard out here?"

Lupin let out a sigh. "Am I that obvious?" Mia nodded. "I feel... Guilty. Incredibly guilty about this entire situation. I feel like I should be able to prevent this."

Mia nodded her head in understanding. "So you are feeling completely irrational. I get that." Lupin chuckled again. The two of them slowly made their way up to the owlery. "Do you think they will ever find him?"

Lupin sighed again. "He has to be. This nightmare has to end, and soon.

Later at breakfast, Gabe finally appeared, much to Mia's relief. The school had been abuzz of talk about her father and she was getting a number of stars. Gabe clearly knew what had happened during the night, everyone did, but he didn't mention a word. Instead he frantically brought out his potions homework. "OK I know you've explained it to me at least a hundred times, but I still don't quite get these Undetectable Potions! Just look at my essay, absolute rubbish. And Snape even suggested that whoever gets bad marks on the essay might have something slipped into his pumpkin juice." Just to prove his point Gabe made a big show of sniffing his juice but to no avail. Undetectable Potions being undetectable and all.

Mia took the parchment out of his hands and began reading. It was all wrong. She gave Gabe a 'your hopeless' look and began another speech explaining to him their reactive properties once again as she pulled out her essay for him to copy. She wasn't buying his potions fiasco, but she was thankful to him nonetheless, for trying to distract her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I know, super short. But an iconic year three moment all the same <3


	94. Map

The next few weeks brought many tightened securities to Hogwarts. Teachers were incredibly attentive to the Gryffindor third year class, though Mia was quite sure that was for Harry's sake, huge security trolls had been added to the landing of the Gryffindor common room to guard the portrait of the Fat Lady who was completely restored and had replaced Sir Cadogan after his obvious firing. Gabe also enthusiastically told Mia about some charm he had watched Professor Flitwick perform on the front doors to get them to recognize a picture of Sirius Black.

As the moon began to grow in the sky each month, Mia resumed lessons with Snape on brewing the wolfsbane potions. Although Snape would never admit it, she was learning the potion exceptionally well, and knew without a doubt she would be skilled enough to brew it for Lupin over the summer. Snape had explained to her that low quality wolfsbane potion still allowed the user to keep a sense of themselves but the experience was much more painful. He also mentioned, with a sneer at the thought of Lupin's clothes, that even a low quality of the potion was incredibly expensive.

One afternoon Mia took Lupin his potion, and just as she approached the door it was charmed open, and Lupin with his back to the door and to Mia greeted her. "Hello, my dear Mia."

Mia froze in the doorway confused. Lupin grinned at her over his shoulder. "I saw you coming! Come, here I want to show you something." He brought a large piece of old parchment over to his desk and set it between the two of them. She bent over to get a better look. It was covered with small black wiggly lines that Mia recognized as a sort of blueprint, and after reading labels on the rooms such as 'great hall', 'transfiguration room', and where Lupin was pointing 'DADA Office' she knew it was Hogwarts. It was a map of Hogwarts! But even more curious there were little footprints all over it with names! She saw 'Amelia Black' and 'Remus Lupin' labeled over the two little footprints that were next to the desk in the 'DADA Office'. She saw a set of footprints labeled 'Filius Flitwick' walking past the room she was in and she quickly flung open the door to Lupin's office. "GAAAAA!" Flitwick jumped two feet in the air.

Mia shut the door again after a quick "Sorry Professor!" She leaned her back against the door as she turned to Lupin with a huge grin on her face. "This is bloody brilliant!" She raced back to the desk and started memorizing the parchment. There were portions that folded over showing the different floors, and even parts of the Hogwarts grounds. There was Gabe's feet zipping around the Quidditch Pitch with six other players, she even saw tiny paw prints walking near the Great Hall titled 'Mrs Norris'. "Where on earth did you get this?"

Lupin had been standing back letting Mia examine his treasure as he drank his nasty potion. He let out a laugh when she asked its origins. "Do you mean originally or just this year?"

Mia frowned, "What do you mean?"

Lupin sat down in his office chain and leaned back. "Well, I confiscated it off of a student last week, but where it came from originally is a different story."

Mia's eyes lit up with knowing. "You confiscated it from a Weasley twin, didn't you?" When Lupin shook his head Mia frowned. "Well where did it come from originally."

In response Lupin just took out his wand and tapped the parchment. "Mischief managed." And the writing all over the parchment faded away in a moment. He nodded to it. "Now try to make it come back up."

Mia frowned at the parchment and pulled out her wand. She tapped the parchment and said, "Show me Hogwarts!"

Mia expected nothing to happen, but instead black writing scrawled across the front of the parchment. _"Mr. Prongs would like to apologize to the sweetums and wish her better luck next time."_

Lupin leaned forward and read the parchment as he grinned.

The name sounded familiar, she had heard it before, but where? Mia had an Idea, she tapped the parchment again. "Miss Amelia Black asks this map to give her its secrets... For mischief!" She added the bit on the end remembering the words Lupin had used when he spoke to it.

The handwriting appeared again, this time Mia recognized it. She grinned up at her godfather after she read the words.

" _Mr. Mooney wishes to acknowledge Miss Black's second failed attempt."_

Lupin chuckled as he read the writing, but more black letters appeared and Mia kept reading.

" _Mr Prongs would like to admit his disbelief in Miss Black's existence, and suggest that perhaps she is mistaken in her own name."_

This one was Harry's dad. Mia remembered Lupin telling her about his old friends back in his school days. They had gotten into all kinds of trouble, exploring the castle till they knew it better than anyone. And they all had these nicknames. The writing continued.

" _Mr Wormtail would like to give his condolences to Miss Black in her unfortunate relations no doubt gifting her with a terribly ugly visage."_

That one was the boy who had died, who her father had killed. Mia's stomach fell as she remembered Lupin's other friend. The last of the gang began to write his message and Mia read apprehensively.

" _Mr Padfoot wishes to physically maim the two previous speakers and impart his knowledge onto Miss Black by swearing to his own memory to always help those who aren't up to good."_

Well that was actually sort of sweet, Mia thought to herself. Another line wrote underneath.

" _Mr Mooney would like to express his hope that Miss Black takes after her mother, in both looks and intelligence; if she does in fact exist."_

" _Mr Padfoot would like to add that he is working with a bunch of gits."_

Lupin shrugged to himself with a smirk. Mia shook her head at him. "You can't really expect me to believe you four made a detailed map of Hogwarts that actively tracks each person inside of it!"

Lupin smiled bashfully. "Well it does much more than that, but that's not important." Lupin tapped the parchment again. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

This time Mia noticed the writing at the top of the map, for it was the first thing to appear.

Messers; Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present The Marauder's Map

Following this, the familiar lines of the castle bloomed onto the parchment and the tiny feet began to scatter across the corridors and staircases.

Mia looked back up at Lupin. "Can I have this?"

"God no! You and Gabe get in enough trouble just the two of you. I can't even imagine the trouble if you had this in your hands. Besides, it would be incredibly dangerous if you lost it." Lupin didn't need to add 'and Sirius found it' because Mia understood completely. "I just wanted to show you one of our better bits of magic. This was quite a bit of an accomplishment for us." He looked back at the map. "We were very different people back then. I still stand by what I said at the beginning of the year. Your dad is dead as far as I'm concerned. And I miss him dearly. All of them. James, Peter, we broke so many school rules. I know that doesn't encourage you very well to listen to me when I ask you to be good." Lupin grinned at Mia. "But maybe next year, once things have settled down... You can go back to breaking rules and living up to the Marauder's legacy. Thankfully I won't be a teacher then so I won't have to put a stop to it."

Mia said nothing, just looked back to the map. She couldn't wait for her freedom, but she knew it would only come if Sirius Black was captured, and for some reason that wasn't a thought that made her happy.

But Lupin seemed hopeful, he was probably staying up late every night watching the map for Sirius. Mia knew Lupin felt some strange guilt in regards to her father. She knew he would use the map every chance he got looking for him.


	95. Rule breaking

The next few months lead to a tame, and by Mia's standards, boring spring. School work began to dominate their days and Mia began to regret taking a few of her more difficult classes like Ancient Runes and Arithmacy. The end of the year and the thoughts of exams began eating into the back of everyone's minds. Hermione began studying before anyone else, and seeing her slaving away with way too much homework made Mia and Gabe start in on their own test prep. With the weight of her work load weighing down on her so hard, it seemed Ron forgave her for her cat eating Scabbers and Harry forgave her for the whole boom stick thing and the three of them were back to their old ways. It also may have just been that the boys knew they needed Hermione if they wanted to pass their own classes. 

Gryffindor's final Quidditch game against Slytherin came and went. Gryffindor won by a landslide, and bitter as he was about losing to Gryffindor, Gabe was happy to see Slytherin lose.

Test prep soon took over the student's entire lives until little else seemed important. After listening to Hermione complain that Ron and Harry were making up half their homework for Divination Mia began to regret her choice of choosing Arithmacy as an elective. That coupled with the extremely difficult subject of Ancient Runes, and a deep inadequacy for transfiguration had Mia staying up late into the night reviewing.

After seven weeks of reviewing Mia was finally able to turn her tea pot into a tortoise that didn't have any floral decorations left on its shell and Gabe, to his utmost delight was able to brew any potion he put his mind to. Although Mia did point out that Gabe's main problem had never been an inability to brew, he simply lacked the ability to focus when in Professor Snape's presence given his deep disrespect for the man.

Finally the exams were upon them beginning with Transfiguration on Monday and ending with Arithmancy on Thursday. The exams came and went with stunning swiftness. It began, sitting down before McGonagall on monday and before Mia knew it, it was all over.

Mia and Gabe walked out of the Arithmancy classroom feeling dazed. Was it really over? That was the last of their exams and they had actually come out alive. They stared blankly as they started walking down stairs towards the great hall and it finally began to dawn on them. "What are we going to do now?"

Mia looked at Gabe. "We could go to the library?"

Gabe sighed. "Please anything but that."

The two of them made their way to the entrance hall. Students were excitedly running out onto the grounds to lay about in the sun, throwing a quaffle back and forth on the grass, and just being free. Gabe and Mia stepped up to the front doors and just peered out. Mia leaned her head on Gabe's shoulder, and the two caged students breathed in the fresh air as one. "Do you remember what the sun feels like?"

Gabe just shook his head. Mia had been good, and hadn't broken her promise to Lupin since Christmas, but five months of being captive had been too much, especially as the sun had started to come out and warm the grass over the last month or so. To be truly honest the main reason Mia had been good was because she knew Lupin would see her on his map the moment she walked out of the Castle.

Gabe, knowing Mia would be jealous had sustained from studying on the grass without her. Gabe could feel Mia's temptation rising up inside of her. "Come on Mia, let's go throw things off of the astronomy tower." Gabe tried to pull Mia away but Mia put her hand on his arm.

"Gabe, what did your numbers chart say about your future?" They had just had their Arithmancy exam and had to complete a very complex chart about events in their own personal futures, taking events down to a very specific time or date.

Gabe colored about his own personal prediction. Most of it had been a little more personal than he wished to share with Mia, but the first part, there was one small part that hadn't been personal. "Well it said I would find something important very soon. I believe it was in the next 12 hours some time. Why?"

Mia smiled. "Because mine said I would break a leg or arm in a year and a half. And I know I did it right. I will get top marks for sure."

"Mia why are you smiling about that?" Gabe asked incredulously.

"Because it means I will be alive in a year and a half! Alive enough to get hurt! That means that we can go out tonight and nothing bad will happen! It's also the full moon so Lupin will be too exhausted to be watching the map!" Gabe just looked blankly at Mia and started walking away. She called after him, "Where are you going?"

"To go throw things off of the Astronomy tower." Mia shrugged and darted out of the front door of the castle. She made a quick run to the left and dived behind the bushes she and Gabe usually used to change behind. She looked out at the students on the grounds. There was one group of boys throwing the quaffle around far to her right, and the only boy facing her direction had been busy with catching the ball when she'd run. Everyone else was a ways away or on the other side of the castle. No one would see her if she just slipped around the left side of the castle as a tiger and made a run for the tree line.

Mia took a second look just to make sure no one was looking her way before she changed and all at once something fell into the gap behind the bush on top of her. "Ouch! Oh gosh. Gabe!"

"Mia what on earth do you think you are doing?" Gabe shrank back behind the bush with her, anger in his voice. Both of them had grown a bit during the school year and the space was getting cramped.

"I'm gonna have a fun end of term run in the sun. Does this mean you'll join me?"

"No I'm not joining you, I'm taking you back! Lupin will KILL me if he finds out!" Gabe made to grab Mia's hand but as he reached for her smooth hand it turned suddenly furry and began to shrink. Gabe looked up into Mia's face as she gave him a wicked grin and fully turned into a beautiful white tiger and darted out of the bush and around the castle before any of the students on the grounds noticed her. Gabe let out a deep sigh and shook his head after Mia, and a moment later a large dark brown wolf set off after her.

Gabe caught up with Mia just past the tree line... Or it should be told Mia waited for Gabe just past the tree line and pounced on him, tackling him to the ground as soon as he was within range. Mia let out a catlike snicker as Gabe turned the tables on her and, still much stronger than her as animals, pinned her to the forest ground. Gabe growled low under his breath. "Back into the castle. NOW."

Mia purred softly. "Come on Gabe, we are already out. The worst we could do is just take a layabout on the far side of the lake! I'm sure there are no student's that far and I know you wouldn't mind soaking up the sun as much as I would."

Gabe let Mia up and paced for a moment clearly torn on what to do. He enjoyed mischief possibly even more than Mia did at times, but he still held a deep appreciation for authority and was one to never slack on his responsibilities, and much to Mia's dread, Lupin had somehow convinced Gabe it was his responsibility to protect Mia. She had to convince him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh how could sneaking into the woods possibly go wrong? Or right?


	96. An important find.

Mia could tell Gabe was extremely torn with his dilemma and needed a bit of persuading. She moved closer to him and rubbed her muzzle into his neck fur. Something that would have been unthinkable as humans but felt incredibly natural as animagi. "Warm sun, big lake, no more tests! You know you want to..." She walked past him and flicked her tale in his face in an extremely cat-like manner.

Gabe's fur bristled and he let out a small wine. "Fine. But at the first sign of trouble we go back." Mia started purring deeply and took off like a bullet to the far side of the forest that bordered the lake. The two of them stopped by the wolves and asked if any of the pack wanted to join them on their holiday of sorts. A few of the younger wolves who didn't have any responsibility jumped at the chance. Playing wolf tag as they went along, the small gang of animals made their way to the far side of the lake that was rarely reached by Hogwarts students looking for a bit of relaxation, and made their resting spot close to the edge of the water right in a large patch of sun. Mia and Gabe stretched out enjoying the sun rays as Pounce and his younger brother Leafnose tried horribly to catch a few lake fish, giving up after a time and spraying Mia and Gabe with lake water as they returned to lay about.

They stayed in this attitude for the rest of the day, talking and chatting some, but mostly just resting and soaking up the sun. Mia was sure she dozed off a few times and was delighted when Gabe fell fully asleep, lounging on his back with his tongue lolling out. Mia wished she had had a camera. Dusk had fully fallen when Gabe awoke and decided they needed to return to the castle. Given his extreme leniency throughout the day made Mia decide not to argue. On their way back through the forest they got rather side tracked with the wolves for a while as Bearchaser told them a funny story about a few squirrels he had met.

It had grown late into the evening before Mia and Gabe began making their way back through the forest to the castle. Halfway there the two of them heard a howl that was definitely not a wolf and Gabe began to grow nervous, keeping his nose, eyes, and ears out for the first sign of trouble. The forest had grown strangely still and something small and terrified came tearing through the bushes to their left. Gabe stood in front of Mia for protection but when a small rat came racing out of the brambles Mia laughed at Gabe. "Really? A rat isn't going to hurt me."

The rat stopped dead at the sight of the two large animals and after squeaking a rather nasty curse word took off in the opposite direction. Mia's feline jaw dropped as she got a good look at the rat, her vision excellent in the dark. "That's Scabbers!"

Gabe knew all about the rat after Ron and Hermione's fight. "What? Are you sure?"

Mia laughed and took off after the skinny and graying rat. "Definitely. He looks half dead of starvation, but I would know that toeless rat anywhere. And only a rat who's spent too much time with Wizards would curse like that. Come on, let's get him!"

The tiger and wolf took off after the rat as he led them deeper into the forest. Really it was no competition as the healthy and spry wolf and tiger chased the feeble and clearly terrified rat. The strangest part for Mia was that she could understand the rat now as a tiger, when she had never been able to hear him speak with her beastspeaking abilities when she had been human. And as Mia pulled the rat out of a stump by his tale he didn't really act as a rat thinking it was about to get eaten should. "Let go of me you mangy animal! Let go of me!" Though that could be easily explained with the fact that Scabbers had spent way too much time with wizards.

Gabe tried to reassure the rat. "Shh Scabbers it's ok. We won't hurt you." The rat stopped fighting quite so hard. "We know your owner, Ron. We are just going to take you back to him. How does that sound?"

The rat started fighting once again. "No no no! Don't take me back! Let me GO!"

Mia, her mouth full of rat tail just looked at Gabe confused. Gabe continued, "Scabbers, really it's ok. Ron misses you, why don't you want to go back?"

But Scabbers was beyond reason. He continued squeaking away his words becoming jumbled into nonsense. "Let me go! LET ME GO! He's gonna kill me! He's free and he's gonna kill me! Stupid animals! LET ME GO! I need to escape before it's too late!"

Gabe assumed Scabbers was referring to Crookshanks, but Mia had a strange feeling about this rat. He had always been a bit different. Either way she knew they should take him back to the castle. She mumbled to Gabe through her clenched teeth and rat tail. "ets et ack oo te casl." Gabe nodded and the three of them set off at once, one of them extremely reluctantly.

They made their way through the last stretch of the forest and quickly made their way across the castle grounds. As they traveled it was hard to hear anything over the frantic squeaks of Scabbers. Mia and Gabe grew tense with nervousness. Once or twice Mia thought she heard howling that was definitely not from the wolf pack, and the forest grew cold and still. It had grown incredibly late on them, and Mia knew they would be skinned alive if they were caught out this late.

Finally they made it to the castle wall. Hiding behind their usual bush Gabe transformed first, and took Scabbers out of Mia's mouth holding him tight. Scabbers was shocked into silence at this event but then started trying to escape even harder. Mia knew once Scabbers saw her as a human he knew he would calm down so she quickly transformed. "Scabbers, see? It's me, you know me!" Gabe held Scabbers up to see her and when he did he let out a miserable squeak and kept fighting for his freedom.

Gabe struggled to hold him tight. "What did he say?"

"I don't know! I've never been able to hear Scabbers talk when I'm human. I always just thought he was incredibly dim or something, but after hearing him talk while we were animagi, now I don't know what to think. It's never happened to me before that I couldn't hear an animal."

Gabe frowned. "That's not true. You can't hear me when I'm a wolf and your human."

"Yeah but that's because you aren't an animal, you're an animagus." Mia's eyes suddenly lit up with shock. "You don't think?"

Gabe quickly shushed Mia and gestured to the rat in his hands that was squeaking so loudly he probably hadn't heard what the two students had just said. Gabe was right. If Scabbers was an animagus then he would do anything possible to get free if he knew they knew, or even suspected what he was.

Mia lead the way, Gabe following close behind holding the squirming Scabbers at bay. They snuck into the entrance hall and something silvery came shooting past them and up the hall. Mia noticed it looked strangely like a partonis but didn't understand why it would head down the corridor that lead to the headmaster's office when there were no dementors in sight. Mia and Gabe paused while they watched the silvery mass disappear, but then they heard shouting coming up behind them, they quickly darted down a side corridor and hid out of sight behind a statue. Mia peeked out so she could see who was coming and know when the coast was clear. Scabbers kept making muffled squeaky noises.

"Gabe keep him quiet or they will hear us!" Mia whispered softly.

"I'm trying! But he is going ballistic. Ouch! Ok that's it you rat." Mia looked over her shoulder and saw Gabe had transformed his hands into wolf paws so that the rat couldn't bite and hurt the thick pads. Mia suspected the sudden claws surrounding the rat would also help him to behave. Mia returned her attention to the commotion coming into the great hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted a little late today, but hope you all enjoy!!


	97. The Truth Can Still Hurt

When the strange parade of people entered the hall, Mia was shocked by what she saw. Severus Snape came strutting into the entrance hall surrounded by what appeared to be three floating stretchers and one bushy haired student who was yelling at the professor. Two of the stretchers seemed to be carrying unconscious bodies one of them wrapped in chains but the third had what looked like Ron sitting up on it. He seemed to be in great pain and was holding his leg, but was still persistent on yelling at Snape. When Mia heard the words "You bloody git! You don't understand!" Mia knew for sure it was Ron.

"Weasley! Mind your tongue or I will drop you on your head!"

"But Professor you don't understand! He's innocent!" This was clearly Hermione. "You were unconscious when he explained everything. He didn't kill anyone. You just have to listen! We have to go back and find-."

"Stop your insensate babbling you daft girl! The Headmaster will be here any moment and then you will be in trouble, for I have told him exactly what happened. You three attacking me, a teacher, like that! You will be expelled for sure this time." Mia and Gabe exchanged glances. Had Hermione really attacked Snape? Ron and Harry (for Mia could now tell that was one of the second bodies) Mia could believe the boys could be provoked to attack Snape. But Hermione? She noticed for the first time that Snape looked unusually disheveled. He even had a bleeding cut across his forehead. Mia looked closer trying to figure out who the third floating body was, but the chained figure was in the shadows and the head of its stretcher kept bumping into the wall rather harshly.

Snape had paused in the entrance hall as if waiting for something and Mia realized what it was as she heard someone coming down the entrance hall swiftly. Hermione was the first one to acknowledge him.

"Professor Dumbledore! You have to listen to us! He's innocent! He didn't do it! It was Pettigrew, he was here but he escaped!" Mia didn't understand what was happening. Pettigrew was the man her father had murdered. Hermione wasn't making any sense. And the rat in Gabe's paws was starting to act up again distracting Mia.

Snape pushed Hermione out of the way. "Counfunded Professor, all of them. They have no idea what they are saying. You sent for the Minister of course?" Hermione and Ron started yelling at the Professors at the same time and chaos arose.

"Silence! Silence please!" Professor Dumbledore took a deep breath and looked at each body individually. He spoke first to Snape. "The Minister of Magic is making his way up from Hogsmead as we speak." Then he looked to Ron and Hermione who were beginning to yell again. "Do not worry! I will hear both of you out fully before anything is decided."

This didn't seem to sit well with Snape. "Professor Dumbledore, really. I think we all know what really happened here tonight." Dumbledore silenced Snape with a look.

Professor McGonagall came running down the hall looking frazzled in her dressing gown. "Professor Dumbledore, you sent for me?" She gasped when she saw the students and the floating stretchers. "What in heaven's name has happened here?"

Professor Dumbledore answered her with a grave voice. "It would appear as if Sirius Black has been captured at last." Hermione and Ron started calling out again but Mia didn't hear it. Her eyes suddenly locked onto the third floating stretcher in the shadows. That was him. The dark chained up lump in the corner was her father. She suddenly couldn't breathe. Gabe was pushing up against her reassuringly, but she barely felt it.

"Hiding in the dark!" Mia and Gabe jumped two feet into the air as a loud voice came up directly behind them. "Rotten little trouble makers sneaking around eavesdropping on the Professors!" Filtch the undertaker moved past Mia and Gabe, pulling them along by the backs of their robes. "Professors! I found two more of them. Over here lurking in the shadows."

Mia saw Gabe quickly change his paws back to hands as they were brought before the Professors and into the torch light. Mia's eyes locked onto the stretcher in the corner again as they came closer, she desperately wanted just a glimpse of the man lying there. She stepped closer when Filtch had stopped dragging her, but suddenly Professor McGonagall was directly in front of her blocking her way. "Amelia. Child. You shouldn't see this." Mia looked up into the Professor's kind eyes.

Dumbledore took a step forward. "Miss Black, Mr. Adewumi, if you could please explain your part in all of this?" Scabbers started squeaking and squirming again in Gabe's hands.

"Bloody Hell you filthy rat! Cut it out!" Gabe took a step towards Ron. "Ron we think it's your rat Scabbers. We found him in the- on the grounds."

Ron jumped into the air and Hermione darted over. They both started yelling again. "It's him! It's Pettigrew!"

"He's the rat!"

"He's an animagus!"

"Don't let him go!"

Gabe let out a loud yell as Scabbers bit him harder than ever and his hands flew up sending Scabbers flying through the air. Dumbledore reacted with lightning fast reflexes and shot red sparks at the rat. Scabbers landed on the stone floor petrified. Everyone watched in silence as the old wizard stepped closer and picked the rat up by its tale. "Best we keep this one close until we have everything sorted out." He turned back to the Professors. "Severus, if you could go down to the front gate to welcome in the Minister, and Minerva, if you could bring the students up to the hospital wing while I have a chat with Mr. Black." He handed the petrified rat to Ron while he held up his wand, preparing to revive the man. "Mr. Weasley, if you would keep a hold of the rat." Ron didn't look too pleased with his lot but held the petrified rat tightly all the same.

Professor McGonagall ushered the students up the staircases towards the hospital wing, conducting the stretchers that carried Ron and the still unconscious Harry.

With Professor McGonagall distracted with the two stretchers, Hermione filled Mia and Gabe in on everything that had happened earlier that night. Painting an elaborate story of betrayal and misunderstandings. "So you see Mia, he's innocent! Don't you get it? He switched places with Pettigrew. Pettigrew was the one who betrayed Harry's parents and your dad was trying to capture him!"

Mia kept walking up the stairs, eyes focused on the steps in front of her deep in thought. Gabe had his arm wrapped tightly around her arm as if holding onto her would make everything better. Her father was innocent. Mia didn't know what to do with these thoughts. Her father hadn't abandoned her because he was an evil betrayer trying to escape the law and save his own skin. He had abandoned her because his friends had been betrayed and he wanted his revenge. That was a better reason for him to leave wasn't it? But if that was so much better then why did Mia still feel so angry? 

Because revenge was a horrible reason to walk away from your family and leave your baby girl. The truth proved that her father wasn't a traitor or a murderer. He was an honest man who was loyal to a fault. And that fault had left Mia an orphan beveling no one in the world cared for her.

Anger pulsed through her and she felt Gabe's arm tighten. She was mad and confused and more than anything else she wanted to see her father, to talk to him, to have him hold her close and tell her everything would be ok. Mia shook those thoughts away. She was mad! She was angry! Why on earth would she want anything other than yelling at him or cursing him, and then never seeing him ever again? She had Lupin, she didn't need anyone else.

They made their way into the entrance hall and Professor McGonagall called out for Madam Pomphrey. The medical witch came streaming out of a back room wrapping a cloak around herself. "Minerva! What on earth has happened?"

"Sirius Black has been captured, Poppy. Mr. Weasley has a broken leg, and the Dementors tried to perform the kiss on Mr. Potter."

"Oh heavens!" Madam Pomphrey started bustling around as McGonagall transferred Ron and Harry to beds. Mia walked up to Madam Pomphrey and asked if she could help. Madam Pomfrey looked at the young girl and sympathized with her, immediately giving her something to take her mind off of the current situation and putting her to work. Mia started with passing out Chocolate to the student's as Madam Pomfrey healed the break in Ron's leg and started trying to revive Harry. Mia fetched several potions for Ron to help protect from infection and replenish blood. Mia tried not to look at his leg too closely. The break had been healed, but it was still an open wound on the other leg from what looked like a dog bite. Hermione had been a little more than sparse with details on how Ron had gotten hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are happening! Are you getting excited to see how it all turns out?? This is also a PSA to mention I won't be detailing out every year of Mia in Hogwarts. This story will have a clear resolution, but after year 4, things move really fast, so don't get your hopes up this will be a 500,000 word fic :] It's more like 2k-3k
> 
> Sending out bookmarks tomorrow to everyone who signed up. If you still want one, feel free to sign up on my website ( www.hmwrites.com ) and check the "I came from an untold beginning" checkbox! They are super cute and I'm so happy with them <3 If you work for a bookstore or library, or school and want some to pass out, let me know and I can make that happen :]


	98. Innocent

When Harry awoke at last he tried to jump up while yelling, "He's innocent! Don't let the dementors at him!" But Pomfrey and McGonagall restrained him long enough to tell him Dumbledore would see everything right. Harry and Ron were sitting up on cots on one side of the room and Hermione was sitting on a cot across from them. Mia and Gabe, both being in perfect health after a quick cleaning and healing of the rat bites on Gabe's hands, were sitting on a cot next to her. Mia was still dreading when people started asking what her and Gabe had been doing out of the castle. 

McGonagall started asking Harry to explain what had happened again. Mia noticed he was also a little vague on the details when he spoke of following Hermione's cat into the hole at the weeping willow. Mia still shuddered at the part when Lupin transformed into the wolf. Mia sent out a prayer hoping he was ok out in the forest with all of the Dementors. Harry was telling the part about the dementors trying to kiss him and Sirius and the Patronis he had cast to fend off the dementors but that had weakened him until he passed out. The tale was elaborate and a bit hard to believe even for Mia. Just as he finished, there was a mass of commotion flooding into the hospital wing. Professor Dumbledore, Snape and (who Mia recognized from the Daily Prophet as) Cornelius Fudge the Minister of Magic came in. Snape and Fudge were arguing loudly, and Mia could only make out a bit of what they were saying.

"-really Dumbledore, you can't believe this madness."

"-just allow me to get some veritaserum-"

"-no need to heal his wounds before the kiss-"

Madam Pomfrey rushed forward to head them off. "Headmaster really! These students need rest to heal!"

"Forgive me Poppy, but it would seem we have one more who requires your healing touch." As Madam Pomfrey gasped Mia noticed the floating stretcher that had followed the three wizards into the room. "It would seem that the truth of Sirius Black's guilt has been put into question, and until he has fully been proven guilty, I feel as though we should attempt to return him to some semblance of health. If you are willing of course."

At the questioning of Madam Pomfrey's healing nature, the witch puffed up her chest and walked to the stretcher. She tutted loudly when she got a good look at the lump of a man laying on the stretcher. Mia could hear a few of her words as she guided the stretcher to the corner and used her wand to transfer the man to the cot. "The state of that prison! Inhumane!"

The hospital wing was still dark enough that Mia couldn't see clearly, but she could tell all the same that the man was conscious, but very very weak.

Mia's eyes stayed fixed on the cot in the corner even as Professor Dumbledore began to speak. "Now, how about we get to the bottom of these events tonight. Mr. Weasley, if you would please present that rat." Ron looked up startled. He had dropped the petrified rat onto the cot next to him in disgust and hadn't thought of him since. Dumbledore spotted the rat. "Ahh, yes. Thank you Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore walked to the cot followed closely by Fudge and Snape. "Now if the testimony of Mr. Black, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter and Miss Granger are to be believed, then this rat is in fact none other than Peter Pettigrew in animagus form. If that is the case, then a simple spell will force him back to human form."

Gabe and Mia both stiffened on the cot at the knowledge of such a spell existing. The thought of uncovering unregistered animagi made them unimaginably nervous. Mia turned her eyes from the cot in the corner just long enough to watch what Dumbledore was doing. If that rat grew into a man, then it would mean her father was innocent, and Mia's life would turn upside down. Professor Dumbledore raised his wand and in a few short movements, unpetrified the rat, cast a spell that made it swell swiftly until a warn short ratlike man was writhing on the bed, and then wrapped him in chains. The man who Mia barely recognized from her old photo album immediately began weeping and pleading his innocence. Professor Dumbledore silenced him with a word. "Ah yes Peter, it would seem as though you are alive and well. Severus, the veritaserum please."

The man, Peter Pettigrew began pleading and begging again as Snape stepped forward with a small vial and an evil look. Mia turned her eyes from the scene not wishing to see anymore. As all the adults were distracted by what was being said between Dumbledore and Pettigrew, Mia got up from the cot and made her way over to Madam Pomfrey and the half dead man in the corner. As she approached she began to recognize the man's face from his dirty lank hair. His face was covered with dirt and his clothes were torn and filthy. His face was pale and gaunt, like skin stretched over bone and Mia could see he was horribly skinny. He was lying on his back as Madam Pomfrey cast diagnostic spells over him, but as Mia approached, the man turned his head in her direction and his eyes locked onto her face. She couldn't believe it. This was him, this was her father. He opened his mouth as if to say something but only lay frozen.

Knowing the best cure to an anxious heart was putting said heart to work, Madam Pomfrey immediately asked Mia to start fetching her potions. As they worked on healing the man, Madam Pomfrey muttered continually about the injustice of imprisoning an innocent man. Mia didn't know what to think as she brought over the last potion and continued to just stand there, watching the man watching her as Madam Pomfrey healed his cuts and bruises.

Eventually Gabe came up behind her, comfortingly lacing his fingers with Mia's as he told her the results of the interrogation. "He admitted to everything. They are taking him down to the gates and the dementors will be escorting Pettigrew to Azkaban to await trial. Mr. Black will be transferred to St. Mongoes as soon as he is stable. They will hold him until he is officially cleared of all charges, and it can be announced in the Daily Prophet. But the minister has already bared witness to it. Official or not. He's innocent and soon the whole world will know." At the mention of his name, Sirius transferred his eyes to Gabe for a moment, before they returned back to Mia. "Hey," Mia felt Gabe brush a tear off of her cheek. She hadn't realized she had been crying slightly. "Don't worry, everything will work out." Gabe, standing behind her, wrapped his arms around her shoulders holding her tight. Mia breathed deeply feeling strangely safe and yet, completely out of control. At last Madam Pomfrey poured a strong sleeping potion down Sirius Black's throat and the man's eyes reluctantly snapped shut.

Mia noticed the rest of the hospital wing had grown calm. Dumbledore, the Minister and Snape had furiously led Pettigrew out of the hospital wing and to the Dementors, and McGonagall was now leading Hermione over to her and Gabe. Apparently because they weren't badly hurt like Ron and Harry, they would now be escorted by McGonagall back to their dorm. McGonagall led the girls off to the Gryffindor tower before she would take Gabe to the Ravenclaw tower. As she opened the portrait hole, McGonagall wished the girls goodnight and told Mia to come by her office in the morning if she needed to talk. Gabe gave her a quick hug with quick whispered encouragement before he allowed her to climb inside.

Once they were alone in the common room, Mia turned to Hermione. "What really happened out there that you weren't saying?"

Hermione winced. "Were we really that obvious?"

"Honestly I think the Professors were just already in so much shock over the whole situation they didn't even notice. I mean, they didn't even ask what me and Gabe were doing out of bed." Hermione looked about to ask what they were doing but Mia stopped her. "No, you first."

"Well, we told almost everything like it was, the only thing we left out was how Sirius came after us. He was a dog. He's an animagus just like Pettigrew, and apparently so was Harry's dad." Mia nodded. Her shock had been used all up throughout the earlier events of the evening. It made sense now, where Mia got her beastspeaking abilities and why she had such an easier time becoming an animagus over Gabe. Hermione, seeing the exhausted look from Mia, didn't even question Mia on her nighttime wanderings and the two girls made their way up to their room.

Mia silently changed into her pajamas and laid down to sleep. But sleep didn't come swiftly. Mia couldn't stop thinking about the man sleeping in the hospital wing. So he wasn't evil... Would she have to go live with him now over the summer or could she still stay with Lupin? Mia wished Lupin had been in the hospital wing to talk to Mia, he would know how she should feel. But he was busy traipsing around the forest as a werewolf. Would they make her go live with the man she didn't know? Mia didn't even know what to call him. Father felt weird, Sirius was probably wrong, and 'the man' was definitely not going to work. Mia's eyes slowly fell shut and she sunk into the world of bad dreams and fitful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG! Sirius Black was proven innocent?!? Who saw that coming?   
> How do you think that will change things moving forward???


	99. Resignation

The next morning Mia's eyes snapped open much sooner than a full night's sleep. But looking out the window Mia knew the sun was up, and Lupin should be human again. Mia took a shower washing off the filth of the forest and dressed swiftly. She made her way down to the great hall and saw that Lupin was nowhere to be seen. Mia reluctantly sat down for breakfast and was soon joined by Hermione and Gabe. Hermione was the first to notice the mutterings and stairs flooding across the great hall. The Weasley twins were the first to come over.

"Is it true?"

"Snape just told the whole Slytherin house!"

"Lupin is a werewolf?"

"And Sirius Black is innocent?"

"Lupin is a werewolf?!"

"He didn't seem too happy about the innocent bit."

Mia stood up and headed to Lupin's office without a word. She stood outside the door and pounded on the wood. She waited for a moment. No answer so she pounded again, harder this time, and waited again. Maybe he was still out there in the forest? He could have been hurt. There was the giant spider nest, he could have wandered into it on accident. Mia started pounding again, as hard as she could. He could have run onto the centaurs land. The forest really was a dangerous place for someone to wander around. Mia was pounding on the door with both fists now. Lupins personal chambers were off a side door in his office, he should hear her pounding. Or maybe he was sleeping. Or maybe the ministry had arrested him for allowing his secret to be told to the whole school. Or maybe he was still in the forest, bleeding. Maybe Mia should go after him, ask the wolves for help. He couldn't die, he couldn't leave her. She had to go live with him. He couldn't leave her with just her father. She kept pounding, her fists aching, the left one started to bleed, but Mia didn't notice, her fears of losing the one man who she trusted, who loved her. She was terrified he would be gone and she would be stuck living with that stranger who was up in the hospital wing. 

The office door flew open and Mia jumped through the gap and into the arms of the very surprised man standing on the other side. Lupin wrapped his arms around his Goddaughter and held her as tight as he could, making soothing, reassuring noises and rubbing her back. Mia started to speak after a short time. "Sorry... I just heard what Snape did and I started to worry. Then you didn't answer your door and I started to worry even more. Why didn't you answer your door?" Mia took a step back and looked up at Lupin. She gasped when she got a good look at him and tried to make him sit down. His face was covered with scrapes and scratches, his eyes filled with exhaustion.

Lupin chuckled. "It's all right, truly. I have been much worse off than this before." Lupin led Mia over to the chairs by the fireplace, limping slightly and sat down heavy. Mia noticed that he was only wearing a simple pair of pants and an unevenly buttoned shirt. His feet were bare and his hair was wet and jostled. Mia realized why he hadn't answered the door and she felt ashamed of herself.

"I would have sought you out sooner, but I thought it would be a better idea if I showered before I went traipsing around the castle." Mia opened her mouth to say something but Lupin silenced her by holding up his hand. "Please. Do not apologize, I should have been there for you last night, but I wasn't. I should have come to you first thing this morning, but I didn't. I had first hoped you would have slept later, but that is no excuse." Mia made to open her mouth again, a new thought arising, but once again Lupin silenced her. "Yes, I know that Snape outed me this morning. I have just handed in my resignation with Dumbledore. I thought it best to do that before the owls from the student's parents began to arrive. Not to worry though, I have accomplished what I came to this school to do, I have built a relationship with you." Lupin smiled wearily. "Your father is innocent. Dumbledore said you were there last night, said you saw him." He looked at her penetratingly. "How do you feel about that?"

Mia's eyes filled with tears and she buried her face in shame. Lupin had just been through an extremely painful and terrible night and now he was here, tired and hurt, losing his job and not even being allowed to sleep because she had come pounding on his door, and he was asking Mia how she was doing. Before Mia knew it, Lupin was next to her, pulling her into a hug and rubbing her back again. This only made Mia feel worse. "No, you should be in bed. Or better yet in the hospital wing. Mia stood up and tried to pull Lupin out the office door. "Come on, you're hurt and need to rest, not look after me!"

Lupin just chuckled. "Please Mia Bell, don't make me fight you. I haven't the strength." Mia stopped pulling him immediately feeling even more guilty. "I think you forget my dear, that I am the Godparent and you are the Godchild. It is I who is to be looking after you." Lupin straightened up and looked her in the face, holding the sides of her face in his hands and wiping the tears off her cheeks. "Now stop feeling guilty and accept that I will always and forever, put you first. Live with it." And he kissed her forehead. He led her back to the chairs by the fire and sat down heavily. "Now tell me. How. Are. You. Feeling."

Mia looked down at the floor. At the moment she was trying her very hardest not to think about anything that had happened last night. She didn't want to wear Lupin down with her worries. But Mia knew if she didn't say something, or if she started crying again he would probably stand up again, and Mia wanted him to sit and rest. So she started talking. "I don't know what to think about last night. It was all just too much. He's innocent, but what does that really mean? What will happen now?"

The silence stretched for a moment before Lupin responded. His voice sounded heavy. "Well, that all really depends. Your father has a house, the one you lived in after you were born. I'm sure he will move back in." Lupin sighed a little. "And then I'm sure you will be able to move back in with him."

Mia stood up with a shout. "No."

Lupin looked up at her with sadness. "Mia, he is your father. And I have been incredibly wrong about him for years. He was innocent the whole time. He was completely innocent. Rotting away in that prison when he should have been free, raising you. The horrors he has lived with. You have met dementors, he lived with them as roommates for twelve years all because I didn't have faith in him. I cannot keep you from him. I cannot do to him what the ministry did to me."

Mia sat back down defeated by Lupins speech. "But I don't know him."

"You didn't know me."

"But I don't trust him."

"He is your father, he would die to protect you."

"But I want you."

Lupin didn't seem to have a response to this one his eyes growing misty, so Mia pressed on. "I want to live with you. You said you wanted me to live with you too. Why can't we still just do that? He can come too. Just please, don't leave me alone." Mia didn't add the 'with him' at the end and she hoped Lupin didn't fill it in. Mia wasn't afraid of him, wasn't afraid of a future that had him in it, she just didn't want that future to not involve Lupin. He had been alone for all those years just as Sirius had, and Mia wasn't going to let him be alone again.

Lupin straightened up in his chair and ran his hands through his slowly drying hair, making it stand up on end. "We will figure this out. We still don't even know what your father wants to do. I will be visiting him in St. Mongos later today and we'll figure this out. Mia, whatever happens, I will never be more than a floo away." He ruffled her hair at the look of horror on her face. "Don't worry. Truly your father is an amazing man. He was one of my dearest friends. I don't know where I would be today if it were not for him." Mia nodded. "Come now, you still have two weeks left before school is even over." He sighed and stood up. 

"No! You still need to rest! Sit back down."

Lupin smiled and ruffled Mia's hair again. "I'll be just fine." He took a potion off of the table that Mia recognized as a strengthening potion, and drank it in one go. He looked back at Mia. "Do you want to help me pack?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Remus, willing to fight for everyone else, but never himself.


	100. New Introductions

They spent the next few hours packing. Lupin asked Mia how her exams the day before went, Mia asked what he planned to do after he packed. After a while there was a knock on the door, and Lupin opened it to see Harry. After sharing a few words, including a few where Harry looked Mia in the eyes and said a true heartfelt "I'm sorry" Mia left the office with a goodbye to Lupin so that Harry could have some time alone with the Professor.

She could share. 

Mia made her way back out to the entrance hall. What would she do now with two weeks free of school? Two weeks where she could go wherever she wanted? It wasn't hard to decide. Mia walked out the front doors of the castle boldly knowing no one would put a stop to her.

Gabe found her a few hours later, lying near a tree by the lake soaking up the sun. Gabe sat down next to her wordlessly. It was the first time the two students had been outside in human form just to relax. Gabe looked over to Mia and her pale skin. "You're going to get a sunburn if you stay out here too long."

Mia responded without even opening her eyes. "I don't care. It's been too long since my furless skin has felt the sun!"

Much of the next two weeks were spent in this attitude. Mia, much like the rest of the students, escaped to the sunny grounds every chance she got. The Daily Prophet could be seen in the hands of most of the student's of the castle, everyone abuzz with the news. Sirius Black had gotten a retrial two days after the full moon. His innocence was tried to be kept quiet by the ministry at first, not wanting their major blunder of imprisoning an innocent man to spread too widely, but a reporter named Rita Skeeter had blown the ministry apart with her reports. Sirius Black had been fully pardoned and publicly apologized to. The article had even made reference to his 'abandoned orphan daughter who was anxiously awaiting her reunion with the father she had been kept from knowing due to our disgustingly flawed legal system.' 

The castle seemed like a different place to Mia. She was lacking the presence of Lupin to brighten mealtimes and tea times, but the student's looked at her differently. Some, like Lavender were still snotty and rude, but the fear was completely gone, and there was something like sympathy radiating from those around her when she sat down for meals. Mia didn't like this, she found it more annoying than the fear had ever been, and so she spent more time outside. One afternoon she even convinced Gabe to join her in the forest for a harvesting excursion. She refused to tell him what she was working on, only that she needed a number of rare ingredients for a potion she wanted to attempt over the summer. She also sought out ingredients for the wolfsbain potion, as she planned to make it for Lupin in the next few months.

Snape was clearly peeved about the turn of events, and wouldn't even look at Mia. But Mia had learned everything she needed to about making the Wolfsbain potion and hoped that perhaps Snape would calm down before the next term so she could learn more from him.

Lupin kept in very detailed contact with Mia over the days following the full moon. He sent her owls often giving her updates. "Your father is doing much better after some intense healing at St Mongos." "Your father's trial is tomorrow, don't worry, he will be pardoned." "Your father has been completely pardoned, don't bother with the Daily Prophet tomorrow, the ministry is trying to keep it hush." "Mia if a reporter named Rita Skeeter comes to Hogwarts, don't say a word. She's usually a horrible slanderer, although I don't mind her spreading the news about Your father being innocent. He needs to make a Diagon Alley trip for some fresh robes but I don't want wizards hexing him in the streets."

Lupin always referred to Sirius as 'your father' much to Mia's grief. She knew he was just trying to get her used to the idea, but still it made her feel uncomfortable. He never mentioned living arrangements in his letters other than mentioning the house. Lupin always referred to it as Meadow Lake. It was apparently a large house on the far side of a muggle village separated by a large lake and bordered by a small wood at its back. This was the house Sirius had bought just after he left Hogwarts when he was planning on asking Mia's mother to marry him.

Mia didn't hear anything from Sirius until just a few days before she was set to leave on the Hogwarts Express. Professor McGonagall found her and Gabe out on the grounds up a rather tall chestnut tree near the lake one afternoon and asked her to come with her to the headmasters office. She suspected she hadn't done too well on her Transfiguration exam but she hadn't gotten the marks back yet and was still hoping for a passing grade. Mia's fear of failing marks lessened when McGonagall gave Mia the password to the headmaster's office and told her to run along while she fetched Harry. Mia gave a wink to Gabe and leaped from the tree heading off to the castle.

When Mia entered the Headmaster's office she got that strange sense sometimes received when a person walks into a room where people have been having a heated argument. She saw Dumbledore sitting at his desk, one of the large chairs across from the desk held.. "Remus!" The man stood suddenly as Mia entered the room and Mia ran into him giving him a huge hug. He squeezed back reassuringly before pulling away. "Mia! You're looking quite tan!"

"Thanks! I've spent a lot of time outside this week. What are you doing here?"

Remus stepped aside as he talked. "Well, we thought it would be best to come by and tell you the plan for the summer." As he moved Mia saw that there was someone else in the room, someone who had blended into the dark high back chair he'd been sitting in. Sirius had stood up as his daughter had entered and now stood off to the side looking slightly out of place. He stepped forward as Remus spoke. "I know you still haven't been properly introduced. Mia, this is Sirius Black, your father." 

His hair was clean and freshly cut into a neat mane around his thin pale face. He still looked too thin to be standing, but he looked a bit stronger, less frail. His grey eyes still looked haunted, but there was something else in them now. He stepped forward until he and Mia were face to face. Both at a complete loss for words. Sirius looked anxious as if not sure what to do next and Mia was quite sure she looked the same. Sirius looked like he was about to reach out and pull her into a hug but just before this happened she stuck her hand out. Sirius wavered for a moment only before grasping her hand firmly and in an overly formal voice spoke. "It's a pleasure, Miss Black." He then bowed over her hand and kissed the back of it before breaking into a grin. Mia, relieved to see he had a sense of humor, but still a bit unsure of herself grinned back.

"Hullo." She spoke softly and after a bit of an awkward pause, turned so as to be addressing both Remus and Sirius. "So what have you been up too?" She looked from Remus, glancing past Sirius rather quickly and then nodded to Dumbledore. "Professor." Dumbledore nodded back with a slight twinkle in his eyes.

Remus seemed at a loss for words for a moment obviously trying to come up with a topic that had nothing to do with the argumentative energy in the room. Sirius spoke up first. "Well Remus and I decided to swing by Hogwarts and talk with Dumbledore about the plans for the summer and bringing you and Harry home."

"Sirius," There was a warning yet patient note in Dumbledore's voice.

Sirius continued on. "Remus and I have spent the last week or so getting our old house, that is to say the house you were born in, cleaned up and ready to welcome you and Harry home." He shot Dumbledore a defiant look.

"Sirius." This time it was Remus to remind his old friend to mind his tongue on the subject.

"No. As I said before, Dumbledore, he is my Godson, he is my responsibility and he will come live with me."

It was in this moment that the door to the Headmaster's office opened again and the very person discussed entered followed by Professor McGonagall. Harry smiled big on hearing his Godfather's proclamation, clearly daft to the mood of the room. "Of course I will. It will be brilliant!" Harry entered the room fully and embraced Sirius in a proper hug. The act looked so easy for the boy and Mia felt a pang in her chest.

"Sit, sit, let us all find seats and discuss this matter fully." Dumbledore waved his wand and several additional high backed chairs appeared around the desk. Mia sat in a chair next to Remus, noticing Harry and Sirius moving to sit in two chairs close together. McGonagall remained in the room, sitting in a chair off to the left of the others, closer almost to the Headmaster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 100!!! woo! we did et! don't worry, this isn't the end :] And yes, I know it's short, but I hope you enjoyed!


	101. Up a Tree

Professor Dumbledore surveyed the room his eyes troubled, although Mia was still a little unsure as to why. She didn't remain curious for long though as Dumbledore soon spoke. "Now Harry, first I would like to address you and apologize. I know you have gotten your hopes up as Sirius has explained to me, he has already offered you a place in his home but at this time I am saddened to say that this cannot be so."

"What?" Harry cried out in outrage but it was Sirius who got to his feet.

"Dumbledore this is nonsense. There are steps that can be taken, he will be perfectly safe. Really, it's not like there is even any risk left to him at this point."

"Sirius! Please sit down." Dumbledore sighed deeply, and Sirius obediently did as he was told. "You know my concerns and I ask you to trust me in them, as I have already explained them to you thoroughly. My desire now is to explain them to Harry." Dumbledore turned back to Harry and looked him fully in the face. "There are protections that have been cast over you, to keep you safe but only as long as you stay in the home of your only blood relative, your aunt, for a portion of the summer holidays. You must understand Harry. I know things such as staying safe means little to someone of your age, but you must trust me when I say that you must return to your aunt and uncle's home this summer."

"But what danger? How can I be in any danger now? I've already defeated Voldemort, what? Three times now? I think I would be fine living with Sirius."

Sirius beamed approvingly at Harry but Dumbledore simply shook his head. "If only the danger had truly passed Harry, but unfortunately you were the one to alert me to the present threat." Harry looked confused but Dumbledore continued. "You told me about the strange prediction that Professor Trelawney made just after your final."

Sirius guffawed at this. "Divination, Professor? Really? Are we to truly believe anything coming from that woman? Remus has told me all about her predicting Harry's death every class."

Dumbledore looked severe. "She predicted that the Dark Lord's servant would escape his bonds and return to him before the ides of June, and that his servant would help the Dark Lord to return, more powerful and deadly than ever."

Mia frowned at this. Today was the 15th of June. The Ides of June was here. Had someone else escaped from Azkaban recently? Mia knew this was nonsense, and she looked over to Remus for confirmation but was troubled by the grim look on his face. She was shocked to see the same look reflected in Sirius's face. Harry was still apparently trying to puzzle this out when Mia addressed the adults. "What happened." All eyes turned to her as if they had almost forgotten she was there. Mia pushed another pang in her chest out of her mind and repeated herself. "What else has happened, what aren't you telling us?"

It was Remus who spoke up to answer her, though the look on his face darkened even more as he spoke. "We found out only last night. The ministry has kept it quiet so far. Pettigrew, he escaped yesterday as the dementors were transporting him to Azkaban after his trial. He turned into a rat and slipped away."

This proclamation seemed to decide things for everyone in the room. Sirius turned to Harry a sad look in his eyes. "You can come visit for the second half of the summer then. As soon as the time limit required for Dumbledore's charms has passed, you can come stay with me. And we can write often until then."

Harry seemed to take this answer if not happily. "Alright then." Harry stood up and made his way to the door. "See you then." And with that he left. Mia couldn't help but feel a little happy at the way things had turned out, even if to feel so she had to ignore the deep sense of dread that came over her when Dumbledore had spoken of the prophecy. When Harry had closed the door the four adults had all sat there looking frozen deep in thought. Mia squirmed awkwardly in her seat catching Remus' eye.

"So Mia, have you gotten your test scores back yet?"

Sirius snapped back to the present as if remembering she was there again.

"No, they will come the day after tomorrow, just before the end of term feast."

Sirius spoke up next. "Well I am sure you will do magnificently, if you are anything like your mum. She was brilliant."

Mia had no clue how to respond to this and thankfully McGonagall came to her rescue. "Yes, it would seem Amelia does take quite a bit after her mother as she scored quite top marks in my exam." Mia looked over to McGonagall with something like shock on her face and McGonagall winked at the girl. "Though you will receive your marks officially on Friday. Now I think we have cleared up all the important facts for the day, and I believe Amelia here was in the middle of an important task when I retrieved her." Mia blushed as she had been teaching Gabe to climb a tree when they had been interrupted. McGonagall stood up, and Mia followed her lead as the opportunity to flee from the tense room presented itself.

"Yes, I fear Gabe may be stuck up a tree where I left him. I should really go."

Sirius looked dark for a moment. "Is that the lad I saw in the hospital wing, your boyfriend?"

Mia almost choked laughing. "Merlin no! He's just my best friend."

Remus and Sirius exchanged glances but Mia didn't notice as Remus gave her a big hug goodbye and then before Mia knew it Sirius was before her and gave her a somewhat stiff and unsure hug. "Yes, I will pick you up from the Hogwarts Express in three days then, and we will finally get the chance to be a proper family."

Mia smiled sheepishly and, suddenly struck with a brilliant idea added, "And Remus will stay with us as well right?"

Sirius looked at Remus like the idea hadn't occurred to him. "That's a brilliant idea! How about it old friend? Meadow Lake is plenty big enough for all of us."

"Well, I mean... If it's not intruding..." Remus stammered. 

"Nonsense. It will be perfect," Sirius proclaimed. 

"Well all right then." Mia beamed at her Godfather. "I'm off to rescue Gabe." Mia had her hand on the doorknob to leave when a thought she'd had the previous night while packing crossed her mind. "Um, I almost forgot. I've been having a little trouble packing." Mia blushed. "I haven't had to pack my trunk in three years and I've accumulated quite a few books since coming to Hogwarts." Mia trailed off.

"Ah, say no more Miss Black." McGongall's thin lips curved up into one of her rare smiles. "I will swing by your dorm after dinner and show you the finer art of the expanding charm." Mia thanked the professor and quickly left the room before having to exchange anymore awkward words with her father. Mia just really didn't know how she was supposed to act towards him. It didn't help that she could tell he was just as lost at how to act towards her, but so easy going with Harry.

Mia made her way back out onto the Hogwarts grounds and walked out towards the lake. She spotted the large chestnut tree and saw the blue and bronze robed figure up in the high branches. She chuckled as she approached. "Did you even try to get down without me."

Gabe peered down at her from the top branches. "Well of course I tried. I didn't know how long you would be gone after all."

Mia laughed. "How can you be so good on a broom and so ruddy in a tree?"

"And how can you be so good in a tree and so ruddy on a broom?" Gabe shot back at her.

"Fair enough."

"So did you flunk out of transfiguration?"

Mia laughed. "No, apparently I got top marks."

Gabe jumped sarcastically. "Mia, careful! With news as unlikely as that I could faint and fall out of this tree!"

"I hope you fall on your big head." And with that Mia climbed the tree swiftly and skillfully and told Gabe all about what she'd learned in the headmaster's office. With the news that Remus would be there, Mia felt much more secure about her summer plans.

"Well, you will still have to come with us this summer to the Quidditch world cup. Dad sent an owl yesterday saying he's trying to get tickets. I had already asked him to get one for you too." Mia nodded tiredly. He had told her this at least half a dozen times since he'd received the owl. His excitement over the Quidditch cup meant Mia would have to endure more sports banter than she wished, but she was appreciative of Gabe's fathers thought all the same. Mia knew, despite any awkward feelings towards her father, this summer, with the prospect of spending most of it with Gabe either at his house or at Mia's, was going to be fantastic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok ok ok, what do you think??? I know a lot of you wanted Harry to move in with Sirius, but like really, Voldemort would be able to just kill him outright instead of going through all the drama of the triwizard tournament. What are you looking most forward to reading in year 4?


	102. The Hogwarts Express - but with friends

Mia sat on the edge of her four poster bed in the corner of her dorm room. She peered down at her trunk, packed full of every possession she owned. Thanks to a handy expanding charm placed by McGonagall everything had fit easily. Now her trunk was packed, her bed was made, and all of her roommates had just left the room to head down to the carriages to leave for the Hogwarts express, Hermione called behind for Mia to hurry up. But now that the moment was here for Mia to leave the castle, she had mixed feelings.

After spending the better part of the previous year locked inside the castle, feeling like the caged tiger she truly was, Mia would have thought she would feel ecstatic to leave, but now a feeling of anxious apprehension filled her. Hogwarts had become home to Mia. Nowhere Mia had ever been in her memory filled her with the same sense of safety and belonging as she felt in the castle. And now at the thought of leaving and going into the unknown, Mia was terrified. Especially when the unknown included moving in with her father, the father she had spent her whole life believing either to be dead, or a criminal. Knowing his innocence didn't relieve any of Mia's stress. In fact it increased it. It left Mia with more questions than answers and forced her to form a relationship with this man she didn't know.

It was different than it had been with Remus. When she'd first met him there was no expectations for a relationship to form, at least none known to Mia. There had only been a strange connection that she felt when she was around him. But with Sirius there was so much pre knowledge of who he was and who he was meant to be to her that gave Mia the heavy weight in the bottom of her stomach every time she thought of him. It was the same feeling one got every time they thought about a big exam they hadn't studied for or remembered a large essay they had yet to write.

Suddenly the door to the dorm room opened and in walked two house elves. They froze at the sight of her. It was two of the elves Mia hadn't gotten on first name basis with but who still knew who she was. The taller elf turned away choosing to ignore Mia and started to perform a bit of transporting magic on Hermione's chest. The second elf, a younger girl Mia recognized from the kitchen carefully walked over to Mia her eyes wide with fear. "The Miss is gonna be late to the train!"

Mia suddenly realized how long she'd been sitting on her bed and took off in a flash. She yelled a thanks to the elf as she darted out of the tower. Mia sped through the castle using every short cut she knew. Eventually she came running down the main staircase into the entrance hall and came to a halt on the final landing standing before an anxious looking Gabe. "I was seriously beginning to think you'd changed your mind."

Mia, panting and out of breath, tried to respond looking cool and relaxed, but Gabe just sighed and pulled her along and out the door of the castle. "No time!" As they left the front entrance Mia was actually relieved at the sight of a thestral pulled carriage waiting for them. She had been scared she would be stuck running the distance to the train. Mia got into the carriage as Gabe held the door open and with a sideways glance at the reptilian horse sat down and tried to catch her breath. "So what took you?"

Mia took a deep breath and sat back in her chair. "Well you know, I had to get my beauty sleep this morning."

Gabe held in a laugh knowing Mia and sleeping in usually didn't go in the same sentence. Mia waited till they were in sight of the train before she spoke again. "Gabe can I ask you something?"

"Always." He noticed her serious look and he sat up. "What’s up?"

Mia tried to look casual as she spoke. "Can you see them?"

Gabe screwed up his face as if trying to remember something. Finally he seemed to give up. "See what?"

Mia chuckled. "The thestrals." She gestured with her arm to the front of the carriage but Gabe just looked worried. "Don't worry, I don't think many in the school can."

Gabe looked incredulously at Mia. "What are you talking about?"

"The thestrals, pulling the carriage. Come on, you know everything! How have you never read about them!"

Gabe let out a dignified complaint. "Excuse me, I don't know half the things you do about Potions. I may be a Ravenclaw but I'm still human! Now, what is a thestral?"

They were climbing out of the carriage as he spoke and Gabe started leading the way towards the train that was being loaded with the last of the trunks, but Mia stopped him by pulling his arm and swinging him around to face an invisible thestral. Gabe peered into the empty space and the animal leaned its face forward to sniff Mia's robes for food. She laughed at Gabe's shocked expression when her robes billowed slightly with the animals breath. Mia took Gabe's hand in hers and held it up, slowly moving it towards the thestral. The frightening beast raised its head into Gabe's hand and Gabe let out a gasp at the feeling of the creature. He slowly pet the invisible creature letting out sounds of shock. "What is it?"

The whistle of the train blew and Mia and Gabe ran off towards the train. They made their way down the hallway of the train looking for an empty compartment, though as Gabe told Mia, there were rarely any compartments left free this late after student's began boarding. The two students finally decided to join a compartment housing a few of Gabe's friends from the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. Mia had joined Gabe at tables in the library in the past where the same boys had been present so the students had grown used to each other's presence even if they had never truly made friends. Roger Davis on the other hand didn't seem to feel the same way about Mia and his friendship. As they sat down on one side of the bench he greeted Mia with a high five that left her hand stinging. 

"Black! How's it going? Man I've been meaning to congratulate you on your Potions marks, Flitwick said no one's ever gotten higher than a 102% before. That's bloody brilliant." Mia blushed deeply. She had in fact gotten a 104% on her potions exam but didn't realize anyone had found out about it.

"Bloody hell, maybe I should get you to tutor me next term. I think I barely got an acceptable on my OWL. My mom's gonna be livid when I tell her." Duncan Inglebee turned scarlet at his own words, in a Ravenclaw compartment admitting to your own shortcomings wasn't as big of a laughing matter as it would have been in the Gryffindor common room.

Jason Samuels, one of the other team beaters hit Duncan over the head with an old Daily Prophet at his words. "You dunce, Snape only lets people into his NEWT level classes if you get at least an Exceeds Expectations. There's no reason for Black to tutor you now."

Duncan looked truly crestfallen at this news and muttered under his breath. THen he shrugged, almost as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and pulled out a wizard's chess board to challenge Randolph Burrow. "Now my mum really will kill me, he said lightly."

The train ride back to reality was quite enjoyable for Mia. She only had to endure an hour or so of quidditch talk before she managed to turn the collective Ravenclaw's attention to academics instead. Mia managed to beat Roger at a round of Wizards chess using a trick Dumbledore had taught her. And then spent the better part of an hour showing the older boy how she had done it. Many of the collected Ravenclaws friends swung by the compartment from time to time. All of them were extremely pleasant or friendly with Mia and included her in on whatever conversation was transpiring. It would seem the news of her father's innocence had become old news long enough to make everyone forget their previous animosity towards her.

The first time she'd ridden this train, she'd spent most of the journey alone or trying to be invisible. Such a contrast to the lively compartment she now rode in she could barely believe it.

Shortly after lunch the seeker on the Ravenclaw team swung by the compartment to say hello to her teammates. Unfortunately for Mia, Cho had brought her friend Marietta along with her. Mia didn't know what it was about the curly haired girl that she couldn't stand. Cho greeted her casually along with the rest of the compartment but Marietta pretended she hadn't noticed Mia as she stood by the door talking to Gabe and flipping her red brown curls over her shoulder. At one point the train took a turn as it often did as it raced through the countryside, but apparently the turn was too much for Marietta who toppled over and fell into Gabe's lap, her hair hitting Mia in her face as she flung back her hair laughing over her accident. Then Mia remembered quite clearly why she didn't like her.

Thankfully the two girls left shortly after this and Mia was once again free to eat her stack of pumpkin pasties in peace, no longer feeling the unexplainable burning of hatred she experienced when the girl was near. Eventually the day grew late, and the students donned their muggle clothes and the train finally rolled to a stop. Mia and Gabe slowly made their way off the train and waited for their luggage before joining the queue of students being ushered a few at a time out of the barrier and into the muggle train station. Apprehension for what awaited her outside of the gates filled her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you guys feel about story tags that spoil the plot? Maybe only add them once the spoiling event is passed, so people can search for the story with said spoiled plot lines? Or maybe people just totally don't look that closely, so adding all the spoilers early doesn't really matter?


	103. Meadow Lake

The wizard at the barrier only let a few students through the wall at a time so as to not draw too much attention. Mia had taken her time getting off the train in the hopes of stalling the reunion that was filling her stomach with its usual weight, so she and Gabe were closer to the end of the students entering Kings Cross. When Gabe and Mia made it into the large brightly lit room it was only a moment before Gabe saw his mum standing off to the side waiting for him. With Sirius nowhere in sight Gabe pulled Mia over to meet his Mum.

"Amelia, it is a pleasure to meet you at last. Gabe has told us so much about you!" Gabe's mother, a very beautiful dark skinned witch, was wearing a simple cotton dress that made her look effortlessly stunning. Mia liked her immediately and the older witch pulled Mia into a tight hug. Before Mia knew it, she and her father were being invited over to Gabe's house for dinner at their earliest convenience, and Mia was being thanked for her help in getting Gabe's potions scores up.

When Mia finally had a moment to look at Gabe she noticed the boy was beaming fondly at Mia and his mother. Mrs. Adewumi asked Mia where her father was so that she could properly invite him to dinner herself and it was that moment that she noticed the utter lack of his presence. 

Gabe nudged her in the shoulder. "Look, he's over there with Harry and... What is he saying to that muggle to get his face so purple?" Mia saw the undeniable form of her father standing on the other side of the platform talking to a very large man with a walrus mustache. Harry was standing by looking delighted, and Mia noticed a thin bitter looking woman and an extremely large boy hiding behind the large man looking frightened.

"That must be Harry's aunt and uncle. Apparently they aren't very nice to Harry." It was rather clear Sirius was saying something to make the muggle man upset and Mia suspected by the sharp smile on Sirius' face that he was threatening the man. It was only a moment before Sirius was saying his last words to the purple faced muggle and patting Harry on his back before turning and walking away, surveying the platform. His eyes fell on Mia after a sweep of the crowd and he broke out in a wide grin as he strolled over to where they stood.

He was dressed to the nines in a rich looking, if not slightly out of date muggle suit and his hair was clean and neatly trimmed. Except for the still incredibly thin look to his face and the hollow sleep deprived eyes, Sirius looked like a whole new man. He embraced Mia a little less awkwardly this time and greeted Gabe with a familiar nod before sticking his hand out to his mother. "Sirius Black."

Gabe's mother gripped his hand firmly and shook it. "Lucia Adewumi. It's a pleasure Mr. Black."

"Please, call me Sirius, I believe our kids are well enough acquainted that we will surely be seeing more of each other."

Lucia chuckled softly at some hidden joke. "Yes I'm sure we will. Well My husband Adamu is currently at work, but he wished me to invite you and Mia over to our house for dinner, after you've gotten Mia settled in at home of course."

"Thank you, that sounds quite wonderful actually." The two adults said their goodbyes and before Mia knew it Sirius was pushing her trolley and cart out of the station. Mia gave Gabe a weak smile and he mouthed a 'good luck' before she ran after Sirius.

As they walked, a few muggles gawked at Sirius and her, one woman pulling her small child out of the way in a flash of fear. Mia started to get a little concerned after the cabby that Sirius flagged down for them took one look at him and sped away. Sirius didn't seem to mind though as he seemed fascinated with flagging down another cabby and examining the cars that drove by. "Um.." She still didn't know how to address him. "Why are muggles running from us?"

Sirius looked at her confused for a moment and then nodded in understanding. "Oh yes. Well you see, when I escaped from Azkaban, the Minister of Magic took it as his responsibility to notify the muggle authority of my presence given that I was a known muggle killer and all. So apparently my face has been all over the muggle news for months advertising me as a crazy killer." Sirius smiled wickedly. "Harry's uncle seems to be a big reader of the news. I think I got him scared to death at the thought of mistreating Harry. Lucky for me he didn't see the recent retraction the news has been printing at my wrongful imprisonment." Another cabby stopped for them and this one didn't seem to care to look at who it was picking up. Sirius helped the driver shove the extremely heavy trunk into the back of the cab before climbing into the backseat next to Mia.

When the driver pulled into traffic Sirius leaned forward in his seat to better look out the front window. "Oh how I miss driving. I used to have a motorbike you know, it was fantastic. I could fly that thing clear across London." The driver gave Sirius a weird look. "That's how well the thing ran my good man, it felt like you were flying." The cabby seemed to take this news well, but Sirius flashed Mia a grimace and sat back in his chair.

"So where are we going? Are we driving all the way to the house?"

Sirius shook his head. "Merlin no. It's quite a distance from here. We are just going a few streets over to the Cauldron to use the floo."

It wasn't long before the cabby had made his way to a side street in the middle of London that held the dirty entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. Sirius wrestled Mia's trunk out of the back of the cab once again, cursing as he went at the weight of the thing. "You really weren't kidding about the number of books you have where you?" Mia just smiled embarrassed. Sirius sighed and cast a hovering charm the moment the cab had driven away. "You think McGonagall would have thought to add a weightless charm with the expanding charm she put on this thing."

Mia shrugged as she held the door open for the trunk and Sirius. "Professor McGonagall never likes to make things too easy."

Sirius let out a bark of laughter at this. "That sounds like McGonagall to me." They entered the dark pub and as people noticed them moving back towards the counter whispers broke out among the witches and wizards present. The bar man nodded to them as they approached the counter. "Just came by to use the floo."

Sirius held out a few coins to pay for the powder but the bar man shook his head. "The floo is down the hall and the powder is on the house. Many a people don't like the way the ministry did you wrong."

Sirius nodded his thanks and slapped the coins onto the counter. "The ministry compensated me well for my troubles, but I thank you all the same." Sirius motioned for Mia to go before him as they walked down the side corridor towards a small room with a large fire in the wall. The haunted man muttered under his breath as they went. "Every time I go out, people shaking my hand, calling me a hero. What rubbish." A small pot sat on a table by the fire holding a light powder, Sirius walked to this and held it out to Mia. "We are going to Meadow Lake. Have you ever traveled by floo before?"

Mia nodded, the excitement she usually got from a floo trip creeping up inside of her, and took a pinch of the powder and walked up to the fire, glancing back at Sirius as she went. She threw the powder into the fire, stepped into the flames and spoke clearly. "Meadow Lake.” Sirius was whipped out from before her eyes in an instant. She spun and spun through flashes of light and a warmth of tickling flame. Even with the heavy weight that came with thinking of Sirius, Mia still giggled as a smile broke over her face. No matter the situation, she really did love to travel by floo. She felt herself slowing down, and stuck out her hand to stop herself from falling to the ground. Her catlike balance setting her right almost at once. Her eyes fell into focus on the room before her and she couldn't help the smile on her face from growing as Remus rose from a chair by the fire and set a book down before pulling her into a hug. 

It was only a moment before the fire roared to life again and out stepped Sirius wrestling the large trunk out of the fireplace. He let the trunk fall over onto the floor with a loud bang and gave Mia a sideways look. "You are going to have to cut your book list for next year."

Lupin chuckled. "Or I can just perform a weightless charm on it before next term."

Mia shrugged. "I've memorized half those books already, I just keep them for reference really."

"You sound just like your mother." A heavy weight fell in the room for a moment and Sirius looked from Remus to Mia. "Well, at the risk of changing the subject, how about a tour?"

Mia nodded her consent and Sirius happily began to show her around the large house, Remus following close behind filling in the commentary whenever Sirius paused his own flood of information. The house had belonged to one of Sirius' uncles who had left it to him after he died. It had been in wizarding hands for many generations, which explained the impossible number of rooms and staircases in the house. It had the feel of a cozy cottage while at the same time having a floor plan more resembling that of a mansion. The large family room where Mia had floo'd to had a staircase leading up to the second floor, which was comprised of several rooms made into an ornate but cozy library. Wall to wall bookcases were surrounded with large chairs, oil lamps and oak tables. A door at the back of the family room led to a large entrance hall type foyer that held the front door of the house. This foyer had a door to the right that led to the kitchen and subsequently the cellar, dining room and back yard, and a staircase to the left led you upstairs to an entirely different second floor comprised of several studies, a bathroom and a bedroom. The next three floors held an assortment of living quarters, study rooms and the occasional lab or bathroom. A grin had been steadily growing on Mia's face as she saw the house and began to envision the life she could have here.

Remus had made use of the bedroom suite on the second floor and Sirius was using the master suite on the fourth floor. Sirius had saved the rooms on the third floor to show Mia last. There were a few rooms on this floor, but the third door on the left had the word Amelia painted on it in fading gold letters. Mia opened the door to a brightly lit room with brilliant blue paint on the ceiling and any bits of the walls that showed out from behind the many bookcases lining the walls. Three out of four walls were nearly all bookcases but a large bay window took up most of the fourth wall. This window was lined with the best looking window seat Mia had ever seen, piled high with pillows. There was a brilliant table desk on one side of the room for studying and a few overstuffed couches on the other side for lounging. There was a door to the left of the room as well as a door to the right. Mia noticed with some thrill that all the bookcases were empty, calling out for her books. The carpet was a rich bronze and the colors reminded Mia sharply of the Ravenclaw common room. Sirius spoke up from behind her. "Your mother thought if you were sorted into Ravenclaw, the familiarity of this room would make you feel at home there. This is similar to what their common room looks like."

Mia smiled having first hand experience. "It does look almost the same. I should know, I snuck into it once." Mia laughed at the proud look on Sirius' face and laughed as she walked to the large bay window. The view outside was magnificent. From here she had a view of the wood that bordered the house and blocked it from the view of the muggle town, as well as a view of the large lake to the east of the house and the beautiful meadows surrounding it. The grin on her face was beginning to feel permanent now.

Mia walked to the door on the left of the room and opened it to see a large and luxurious bathroom done up in white and silver colors. The tub was deep and wide enough for several people to sink into comfortably and the countertop was something to be envious of after three long years of sharing a mirror with Lavender.

Mia crossed to the door on the right and as she opened it her jaw dropped and the grin vanished to be replaced by awe. The room was large with a high ceiling. The walls were a soft golden yellow while the plush carpet, and window hangings were a deep red. Even all of the wood of the furniture was scarlet. The bedding was the same golden yellow but trimmed in scarlet. The wall opposite to the bed held a large vanity holding a beautiful mirror with golden Lions carved into the frame. The wall opposite the door held another large window seat. This window showing a better view of the lake. Mia at a complete loss for words crossed to look into the large closet in the corner.

Sirius continued his narration. "I, knowing you would be a Gryffindor for sure, convinced your mother to do up this room in the house colors. The ceiling although was all her work." Mia looked for the first time at the high ceiling and gasped. At first sight, she thought it was a brilliant blue but then she quickly realized she was really looking at the sky outside. A brilliant blue sky hazed with a few bright fluffy clouds and the room was lit with the light from the sun.

"The charm work took her the better part of her pregnancy to finish. Mooney helped quite a bit too if I remember correctly."

Remus chuckled. "Yeah I helped. I got the phases of the moon and the star constellations to change properly. It should go from night to day in time with the real sun, but try as we might, we couldn't get it to reflect the weather like the great hall does. That magic was beyond us. And that really is saying something considering how brilliant your mother was with her charm and transfiguration work." Mia truly was at a loss for words, she had never seen anything more brilliant in her life.

Remus brought her trunk upstairs for her and then the two adults left Mia to unpack in peace. But in reality Mia simply spent the majority of her time just laying on her back with her eyes closed, letting the soft muted light of the charmed sun shine onto her face as she imagined a mother who had made it just for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK! We have a glimpse of Mia's home! what do you think? Were you expecting number 12 Grimmauld place?


	104. Midnight confessions

After a dinner of burnt roast, Mia made a mental note to start doing the cooking, and joined Remus and Sirius in the family room for a bit of writing. Remus quickly immersed himself into a thick book and Sirius simply fell onto one of the couches with the apparent mind to take an after dinner nap among company, but Mia took her message book to a desk and opened to a blank page and began writing Gabe. She started writing out her day as a letter knowing Gabe would get to read it eventually if he was currently busy, but before Mia had finished Gabe was already writing out responses to her that began to appear on the next page.

_Mia! That sounds fantastic! I cannot wait to see the library room!_

_You haven't even heard the best part yet!_ And then Mia proceeded to tell Gabe about her rooms, and especially her sky.

_That's so fantastic. It's like a gift from your mum, welcoming you home._

Mia didn't know how to respond to this. That was exactly what it had felt like to her only she felt like it would be claiming something not really hers if she spoke it allowed. But now seeing Gabe write it for her, made Mia feel like she could own it, and truly take the house and her rooms as a gift from her mother.

Mia changed the subject after that to asking about Gabe's family. She knew they were all very close and starting him on that subject usually got him going for a while. He told her a story about a case his brother was working on and Mia burst out laughing. Sirius sat bolt upright on the couch letting out a yelp of shock at being woken up, but Lupin, calm as ever simply peered over his book, a hint of sarcastic humor in his voice. "Writing something funny there are you?"

Mia realized how peculiar she looked, sitting in a corner writing quietly and laughing to herself. Anyone would think her a nutter. Sirius yawned widely and flopped back onto the couch. "So the girl finds herself overly amusing. Nothing wrong with that."

Mia rolled her eyes. "I wasn't laughing at myself, I was laughing at a story Gabe was just telling me about how his brother met a man who sang all of his thoughts. Apparently it got rather personal." Mia chuckled as she remembered the story.

Remus smiled slightly. "Oh so he's sent you an owl already has he?"

"I don't think I like that boy." Sirius growled from the couch.

"Gabe is a very pleasant young man. Highly responsible and very intelligent. I was quite fond of him in my classes."

Sirius continued to growl. "He's still a boy."

Mia felt completely lost in the conversation. "Well anyways, he didn't send me an owl. We are talking right now through this book." She held up the book for a moment and then scribbled a response back to Gabe explaining the conversation in the room. Remus set down his book and came up behind Mia to get a better look at the book in question.

"Where on earth did you get that?"

"Gabe made it." Mia scribbled in the book. _Remus is examining our book, say hi!_

_Hi Professor Lupin!_

The words appeared in Gabe's hand as he wrote it and Remus let out a slight cry of shock. "That’s fantastic! How does it work?"

Mia laughed and started scribbling again. Remus' comment had drawn Sirius' attention and he came over to watch Mia write as well. "It's pretty complicated, you will have to ask Gabe some time. I always forget after he explains it." _Remus wants to know how you got the book to work, I told him to ask you when you come over. No no NO! Don't tell him now! Tell him sometime when I can walk away and ignore the conversation, you've already told me half a dozen times!_ Gabe had begun to write out his spell work for Remus to read but Mia stopped him almost immediately.

Gabe's hand writing appeared again. _Speaking of coming over, did you ask yet when I can?_

Sirius read the words and grunted. Remus on the other hand more eloquently stated that Gabe was welcome whenever. Sirius reminded Remus exactly whose house it was, but after a pleading look from Mia, he also consented that 'the boy' was allowed whenever Sirius or Remus were home and awake and able to supervise. Mia thought this a pointless condition but told Gabe none the less to come over whenever. They made plans for lunch the next day.

Sirius' mood darkened more and more as the sky outside did the same and by the time it had grown late he seemed a different person altogether. His eyes seemed more haunted and his responses grew shorter until he stopped speaking at all. Remus suggested they all head to bed but as Mia headed out of the family room following Remus, she spied Sirius pulling out a glass bottle of red liquid.

It was three in the morning by Mia's wall clock when she woke up suddenly in the pitch black of the night. It was a new moon so the starlight from her ceiling did little to brighten her room. She lay awake for a moment before she realized what it was that had awoken her. She heard a yell and a cry of pain coming from the floor above her. That was Sirius' voice for sure. Mia didn't know what to do. Should she ignore it? Another screamed yell had her decided. She swung out of bed and wrapped a robe around her dressing gown, and carefully padded out of her room. The yelling wasn't as loud out in the hallway. But as she took the stairs to the fourth floor she could hear the cries and the thrashing and the yells.

Mia opened the door without knocking and saw Sirius thrashing on his bed, clearly in the middle of a fierce nightmare. She whispered from the door. "Sirius?" He didn't seem to hear her past his own cries. "Sirius?" This time she was louder, but he only seemed to cry out more, as if the horrors of his dreams were calling out to him. Mia took a few steps closer to the man. "Sirius!" This time she spoke loudly but he still didn't register a voice outside of his nightmare. Mia stepped up to the bed and placed a hand on his arm. He pulled away as if burned but Mia replaced her hand forcefully. "Sirius, it's ok, you're safe! You're safe." This seemed to get through to him, he wasn't thrashing as hard, and the cries were quieter. She placed her other hand on his forehead, his face was slick with sweat. "It's ok, you're safe here."

Sirius suddenly jerked awake breathing heavily, his pajamas soaked with sweat. He sat up quickly and peered angrily at the girl standing next to his bed. Mia took a step back. "I'm sorry." She turned to leave the room but Sirius stopped her.

"No, wait. I'm sorry. I... I didn't mean to wake you."

Mia shrugged. "It's alright. No one means to have nightmares."

Sirius sighed. "It's just those damn dementors. As soon as the lights go out, it's as if they are right there." Mia strode over to the bedside table and lit the oil lamp. Sirius chuckled and Mia took this as a good sign. "Good idea. You take after your mother to be sure." He yawned and lightly taped Mia on the nose."You remind me of her so much, in how your eyes came alive when you saw your room, even the way you move and carry yourself." Sirius' eyes seemed to fog up as if he was looking far back into the past and remembering a better time. 

He was silent and Mia didn’t know what to say. She wanted to ask more, ask all her questions, but the pain in Sirius’ eyes stopped her. 

“Leaving you that night was the biggest mistake of my life.” Sirius covered his face with a hand, and Mia couldn’t stop herself from asking.

“Why did you?”

“I wasn’t thinking. James’ patronus came in and said _he_ had found them.” Mia didn’t need to ask who he was. Voldemort, the night he killed Harry’s parents. “I didn’t think. I had to get there and help James, so I handed you to your mother and disapperated, but I was too late. The house was destroyed and James and Lily were dead.” Sirius uncovered his face and his eyes locked with Mia’s. “I should have left right then and gone back to you. I should have realized with James dead, it meant you were vulnerable. He was our secret keeper, and without him, you and your mom were in danger. But I was so stupid. I heard Harry crying, and dug him out of the rubble, then handed him over to Hagrid. I was so angry all I could think about was how Peter betrayed us, betrayed James. So I went after him. I couldn’t find him, and I came back home here to you and your mom, but…” He trailed off, his eyes growing distant. 

“Bellatrix had you in one hand and Cassy was lying dead in a chair. I was too late.” Tears pooled in the corners of his eyes before they ran down his face. “I took you to Remus and went after Peter. Everyone thought I was James's secret keeper, they would think I had betrayed him, and I had to get proof. Proof and revenge. When I found him, I didn’t care about the proof, I just wanted the revenge. Then Peter blew up the street and killed those muggles. I didn’t care when they carted me off to Azkaban. You were safe with Remus, and Peter was dead. What did it matter what happened to me?” His eyes grew frantic for a moment, and he sat up and reached out, grabbed Mia’s arm tight, his hand shaking. “I didn’t think he wouldn’t be able to keep you. I’m so bloody sorry, Mia, you have to believe me. I thought you were safe with Moony, please forgive me.”

“I forgive you.” She didn’t realize it was true till after she said it, but it was. She did forgive him. He had made mistakes, he didn’t see the whole picture, but he had lost so much. She couldn’t hold it against him.

He held onto her for another moment, examining her as if looking for something he needed. Then he nodded and the frantic force left his eyes and he fell back to the bed. 

"Get back to sleep love, your friend is coming over tomorrow and you want to be well rested."

Mia smiled weakly and made to leave the room. The smell of alcohol was pungent on Sirius' breath but Mia didn't say a word about it.

"Have a good night."

Mia just nodded her response and shut the door behind her. She went back down the staircase to the door with the fading gold letters. She traced her name painted in the curly handwriting thinking to herself that her mother had once stood right here to paint it. Mia pushed past the door and into the sitting room. She had dragged her trunk into this room to unload her books, but had yet to start filling the shelves. She moved past her trunk and went to the large window seat and fell into the large cushions filling the seat.

Mia didn't know how she was supposed to feel anymore. She had never found a book in the library telling her how to form a relationship with her father like she had learned to brew a potion. Having a father was much more complex and difficult than she had always imagined it would be while growing up. She felt so awkward around her father, frozen almost with fear of not knowing how to act towards him. She had so many feelings towards him. It had been mostly anger, but now that was fading. Mia took a deep breath and shoved her head under a pillow and tried to let sleep claim her. It did not. 

She lay for a while staring out the window towards the dark forest outside. The moon was barely a sliver in the sky. She would need to start brewing the Wolfsbane potion for Remus soon. Before Snape had grown so angry over her father's innocence and stopped talking to Mia, he had tested a sample Mia had brought to him, and he had deemed it acceptable if she desired to continue brewing it for Remus. Mia felt it had gone unspoken that Snape was rather excited to never again have to bother himself with Remus.

Mia, wished there was more she could do for Remus, than just make the wolfsbane potion. She had an idea of how to help him. But what if her idea didn't work? What if the potion she was planning on trying to make for him was a failure? Mia shook the thought from her mind. Only time would tell.

She sighed deeply and stood up. She looked around the sitting room and at the empty bookcases and started unpacking her books. If she wasn't going to sleep at least she could be productive and finish her unpacking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I totally posted a second chapter last night because I confused myself and didn't update dates correctly. But that's ok :] happy Sunday!!


	105. A new home

Mia awoke the next morning to the smell of burning. For several frightening moments she could not understand where she was or what was happening. She sat up with a start of panic, and at the sight of the neat blue and bronze room, her books filling some of the shelves around her, Mia remembered. She had fallen asleep ion one of the blue couches the night before after she had emptied her trunk. It had been early in the morning when she had finally drifted off. Now she felt barely rested and had a crick in her neck.

Only her absolute curiosity of knowing where the burning smell was coming from made Mia rise from her couch. She tiptoed down the stairs still in her dressing gown and heard frustrated voices coming from the kitchen.

"No the fire is still too high. Seriously, when is the last time you touched a pan?"

"Leave me alone Moony, that stew you made last night was barely any better."

"Yes, I'm not a very good cook, I know that. But at least I know how to cook. LOOK! It's on fire again!"

"Gahh!" There was a bit of banging and clattering and the sound of a plate or two cracking on the stone floor followed by a muttered _'reparo.'_

Mia cautiously pushed open the door to the kitchen and stepped inside. It was quite a few minutes before either man noticed the girl behind them, mostly because they were both so busy as to make sure nothing more caught fire. Remus seemed to be trying to take over, but Sirius seemed overly obsessed with proving he could make, whatever it was he was trying to make. Mia looked at the plate sitting on the counter and realized as she saw the shriveled and blackened burned bread sitting next to the freshly cut strawberries that he was trying to make pancakes.

"No no no! Don't flip it yet!"

"Mooney! LET ME DO IT!"

Remus turned in frustration as if set on leaving Sirius to his chaos and spotted Mia trying hard not to laugh by the door. "Mia. Good morning."

Sirius turned, a bit of crepe mix on his forehead. "Mia." He looked annoyed almost that she was there. "Your breakfast isn't ready yet."

Mia didn't know what to say to this, was she supposed to stay in her room till noon? "Um, that's ok. I'm not really hungry." Sirius' face fell and the crepe behind him began to smoke a little. Mia got a strange sense. Why was he sad by this, had he wanted to make her breakfast? She thought quickly. "Though I do have to admit I love pancakes."

Sirius' face broke out in a large grin and Mia knew she had guessed right. "I thought you might." He turned back to the pan. "Your mother loved- aw bloody hell." The pan was smoking wildly again and Sirius took his wand to it.

Mia, understanding the ability of magic to change certain properties of food such as taste grimaced a bit and made an excuse that she was going to take a shower. Sirius called after her, "It should be ready in about fifteen minutes!"

Mia heard Remus mutter under his breath. "Or forty five."

Mia took a quick shower and checked her message book to see if Gabe had written her yet that morning. He had. He had quite a lot actually. He seemed rather impatient for Mia to respond and tell him when he could come over.

After a breakfast of under ripe strawberries and incredibly bland, but surprisingly unburnt pancakes, Mia asked Sirius over the kitchen table when Gabe could come over. Sirius began muttering something about when Mia graduated Hogwarts but after a glare from Remus, Mia shook her head and wrote Gabe and told him to come whenever he felt like it. Mia hadn't even completely finished writing this when the fire flared in the other room and Mia heard her name being called quizzically from the family room. Grinning to herself she left the adults in the kitchen and darted into the family room.

Gabe was standing next to the fireplace, his face lit up at the sight of her. Mia didn't know why but she was slightly surprised at the sight of him. It had barely been half a day since they had parted ways at Kings Cross, but Gabe looked different in incredibly subtle ways such as the extreme lack of wizards robes and the addition of a nice fitting pair of muggle jeans and a tee shirt that was just tight enough for Mia to truly appreciate the advantages of Quidditch.

Mia ignored all this and instead folded her arms impatiently. "Sure took you long enough to get here."

Gabe gave her a sardonic look and, crossing the room, ruffled her hair lightly. "It's good to see you to Streak."

Mia swatted his hand away before he could mess up her hair. "Come on, let me introduce you." Mia led Gabe to the kitchen and pushed open the door to show Sirius and Remus both sitting at the table, intently reading separate parts of the prophet although Mia had been quite certain they had been having an avid discussion on the others cooking inability only moments before the fireplace had flared.

Mia, not really too avid on introducing her father to Gabe so as not to have to approach the issue of what to call him, just stepped to the side once in the room. Gabe not missing a beat stepped past Mia and walked up to the table sticking out his hand to shake first Remus' hand and then Sirius'. "Professor Lupin, Mr. Black, thank you for letting me come into your home."

"Please Gabe, it's just Remus now. I'm no longer a professor after all."

Remus looked at Sirius at this almost expectantly, and Sirius, after giving Gabe what Mia suspected to be a bone crushing handshake that Gabe took quite well just glared at Remus. "I myself much prefer Mr. Black just fine."

"Ok, I'm gonna give Gabe a tour of the house!" Mia grabbed Gabe's hand and led him from the room. Leading him first up to the library floor. After a moment on the stairs Mia realized she was still holding his hand and dropped it quickly.

"Well he seems friendly."

Mia shot Gabe a look. "As friendly as a rabid dog. I don't get why he acts like that."

"Oh, give him a break, he's just trying to protect you."

"Protect me from what? It's not like you're gonna hex me." Gabe just shrugged and continued up the stairs. "Still haven't figured out what to call him yet?" Mia glared at Gabe and opened the door at the top of the stairs into the large library room. At the sight of the books Gabe immediately lost his train of thought and focused with a singular mind on the books. "Apparently the wizard who my great uncle originally bought the house from was big on books. I haven't had much time to go through them, but there's a great selection of potion books I've been wanting to move to my rooms."

"This is amazing." Gabe's eyes were still glued to the shelves as he ran a finger over the spines he read.

"I noticed a section on defensive magic behind you next to that lamp." Gabe turned automatically and went straight to the shelves as if drawn by a magnet. True to his desire to become an auror, Gabe's thirst for defensive magic was unquenchable. After a time in the library, Mia showed Gabe around the rest of the large house. They had taken a few books with them from the library, Mia with the intent to read every potion book in the room over the summer had grabbed quite a stack.

Finally Mia showed Gabe her own rooms. He had found the charm work on the ceiling fascinating and made a note to ask Remus about it. Eventually the two students found seats in the blue and bronze (much to Gabe's comfort) room and started reading from the books they had discovered. Mia had curled up in a large arm chair with a book on theoretical potions brewing and Gabe was stretched out on a nearby couch reading a book about advanced hexes. Every now and then one would find an interesting passage and read it allowed to the other, but for the most part the two teens sank into a peaceful and relaxed silence.

Gabe was in the middle of reading out about a jinx to make the victim's stomach acid literally turn into butterflies when Mia noticed Sirius casually walk past the open door. This wouldn't usually catch Mia's attention except for the fact that her room was the only one being used on the floor, and there was nothing at the end of the hall in which Sirius had just walked past to. Mia chose to ignore this strange occurrence and commented back to Gabe about the jinx when Sirius walked past again, casually and swiftly, casting the smallest of glances into the room. Gabe had noticed it this time as well, and the students set their books in their laps and watched the door intently this time. It was almost a minute before he walked by this time. His pace was still casual, but as he glanced into the room there was no getting around the obvious fact that Mia and Gabe were watching him.

Sirius seemed to stop with casual surprise. "Oh, hey guys." His eyes darted from Gabe on the couch to Mia in her chair a few feet away as if expecting to see something else.

Mia smiled weakly from her chair. "Hi."

Sirius shifted from foot to foot. "So, for lunch I was thinking about making a roast."

"No!" Mia realized she had said it a little harshly as Gabe and Sirius both looked at her with shock. "I mean, um. I was thinking Gabe and I could walk to the village market and get the fixings for sandwiches for everyone." Sirius glared at her and Mia smiled widely if not falsely to cover her shame.

"My cooking is not that bad."

"No, not at all."

"The pancakes weren't even burnt."

"No, the ones you gave me were perfect." Mia smiled widely again to cover her sarcastic tone.

Sirius just shook his head with a small grin. "I will get the muggle money out for you."

And with that he left. Gabe looked at Mia. "Was it really that bad?"

Mia frowned as if thinking hard. "It was sort of like your potions work first year." Gabe shivered of horror at the memory.

Mia and Gabe made their way down to the family room a short time later in search of the muggle money so they could go to the market. They entered the room and Sirius, sitting on the couch tossed a money purse at Mia, who, with a lack of coordination promptly ducked and Gabe, with lightning fast reflexes caught it with ease. Sirius seemed to consider Gabe with more appreciation after this move. "Quidditch?"

"Yes Sir, I play chaser for Ravenclaw."

Sirius seemed to think this was not very impressive. "Ravenclaw, well that's not saying very much is it?"

Gabe was about to retort when Mia cut him off. "Ok well we are off to get food for lunch."

"Make sure you get some roast beef from the deli, and a nice cheese or something." Remus seemed to be just as avid as Mia to change the subject.

"Yes and I will also get lettuce and tomatoes and maybe some onion."

Remus seemed to not care as much for this and Sirius also grimaced, but Mia wouldn't let it drop. "You two need to eat more vegetables."

Lupin just shrugged. "My wolfish habits make me more inclined for meat than vegetables."

Sirius looked indignant at Mia's words. "I just don't like green food. Besides, I'm the parent, shouldn't I be telling you to eat your vegetables?"

"Oh right, I forgot I was the teenager. Maybe I will just get some ice cream then."

"Ooo. Get something with peanut butter." Sirius' eyes came alive with the idea and Mia nodded sarcastically.

"Alright, we are off."

Remus called after them, "Stay safe."

"And stay out of trouble." Sirius seemed to be eyeing Gabe with doubt.

Mia waved a goodbye as she rushed out the door dragging Gabe along. "Finally." She spoke letting out a deep breath as she closed the door behind them and stepped into the afternoon air.

Gabe chuckled. "He wasn't that bad."

"Maybe from where you were standing." Mia thought for a moment as she led the way down the lane towards the village Sirius had shown her as he was giving the tour of the outdoors. "To me... It felt like the time you met Fleet Foot in the woods. Like an Alpha standoff."

Gabe just chuckled. "Well I promise not to get in a fight for dominance with your dad." Mia laughed with Gabe while she silently prayed he was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the change of pace for summer, hope you guys enjoy it! 
> 
> The first proof copy of my book is getting delivered today and I CANNOT wait. Like, it's all I can do to focus on work and not refresh the shipping details every 30 seconds.


	106. The unexpected guest

Mia made sandwiches for the three men in her life while chatting with Gabe. She piled the beef sandwiches full of as many green veggies as she could find in the small market then she and Gabe brought them out to Remus and Sirius with a few large glasses of pumpkin juice. As they passed out the veggie laden sandwiches Remus gave a pleasant thank you and Sirius just glared at the green crowding out his beef with disdain, but he took the plate from Gabe all the same but not without a word. 

"You know I've been meaning to thank you for the rabbit." Gabe had been turning to sit on the couch to eat his own sandwich but froze, inches off the couch. Mia, about to take her first bite of her own sandwich froze in the same moment. The two teens gave each other a horrified look and then in the same movement looked at Sirius. Sirius was smiling smugly at his sandwich as he picked the baby spinach and bell pepper off. Remus was simply sipping his pumpkin juice and reading his book.

Gabe recovering his cool sat down next to Mia casually. His voice only cracked once to betray his panic. "Sorry Mr. Black, what rabbit do you mean, Sir?"

"Oh just the one you caught for me in the Forbidden forest last term." Sirius didn't even look up, seeming preoccupied as he picked a slice of cucumber off of his sandwich before taking a big bite.

Remus looked up at this comment and watched the exchange.

"I've... Never been into the Forest..." Gabe tried to deny the comment but then he caught Remus' quizzical comment and he fell silent caught in his lie.

Sirius continued. "Don't get me wrong, it's rather impressive. Being an animagus in only your third year. It took James and I till our fifth year, mind you we didn't get the idea until our third year." Sirius took another big bite out of his sandwich and spoke through the bread, meat and cheese. "My only question is who the tiger with you is." Mia's eyes popped and she blushed. Sirius glanced at the couch holding the two teens. "That's what I thought." Sirius went back to eating his sandwich with a very smug look on his face.

"What exactly did we just decide upon?" Remus hadn't followed the conversation as clearly as the other two occupants of the room.

"The kids become Animagi, Moony, I'm surprised you hadn't noticed seeing as how you keep saying you have been looking after them over the last year." Sirius took a bite and grinned widely as he chewed, his eyes glistening with the memories of his own rule breaking and adventures.

Mia's head, bent down in shame, snapped up in a moment when Remus erupted out of his chair. "WHAT! Do you two have any idea how dangerous that is? How reckless, and insane, not to mention ILLEGAL! Time and time again we have talked about honesty and openness and then you just turn around and do something so blatantly insane as risking your life to become an animagus and then what? Run around the forbidden forest having the time of your life, once again risking your life while a serial killer was on the loose!"

"Hey!"

"Yes Padfoot I know you weren't really a killer but that's not really the point. The point is I thought we had trust! I thought you respected your self enough not to try to kill yourself being reckless again." At this Remus fell silent and sat back down placing his head in his hands."

Mia didn't know how to respond at first. And then all at once she knew exactly how she felt and it was her turn to stand from her seat and yell. 

"Trust? You want to talk about trust? I am currently living in a house with two absolute strangers, one who abandoned me when I was a year old so he could go off and settle some revenge then got himself locked up in jail. And one who spent eleven years being a mysterious yearly present that reminded me that even though I was all alone, at least one person was aware I was alone even if they weren't gonna do anything about it. And then lied to my face about who he really was when we finally met until I figured it out and confronted him. But no, keep being two grown man children, don't learn to cook, don't plan anything for your future, don't set any goals, keep sleeping all day then drinking fire whiskey as soon as the sun sets till you pass out and wake up screaming because any healer can tell you fire whiskey only makes night terrors worst and don't eat your veggies and stay malnourished so you die young and leave me again faster!"

Mia's eyes were ice blue and brimmed with tears, the last part of her speech was directed solely at her father and through her rage she felt somewhat satisfied finally speaking out the things she had been thinking in the back of her mind.

Mia let out a frustrated strangled scream and ran from the room and out the back door, tears streaming down her face. The men sat in silence for a moment staring at the empty door frame. Gabe was the first to snap to it. "For the record, we became Animagi before we met you,” Gabe said with a smile at Remus. The men just looked back at him, and he hesitated. “I should go." And he rushed to the back door of the house to see a white and black striped cat streaking into the small grove of trees on the edge of the property. 

A chocolate brown wolf shortly followed the tiger into the wood, sniffing out her trail. They spent the rest of the afternoon in the forest and it wasn't long before Gabe had Mia laughing about something stupid and unimportant.

The sun was near setting when the two teens wandered back into the house, Gabe saying goodnight to Remus, the only one in the room, before he used the floo to return home. When he was gone Remus stood from his chair. "Mia, I-"

Mia cut him off. "No, I'm sorry I was wrong. I'm tired and am just gonna go to bed." Remus nodded sadly as Mia sprinted up the stairs.

The next few days passed slowly. Remus and Sirius did a fantastic job of pretending like the fight never happened. Mia taking their lead, pretended as though nothing was wrong and nothing was bothering her and so forth set the mood for the relationship between the teenage girl and the grown men. Gabe continued to come visit often, Sirius didn't seem too testy about a teenage boy being his daughter's best friend, though he continued to casually walk into any room they were alone in for any extended amount of time, finding random reasons to be there. Gabe stayed true to his word and resisted any of Sirius' sideways comments towards him, always addressing him with a respectable "Mr. Black." 

If Gabe noticed every time he did so that Sirius' left eye twitched, he didn't make it known till one day Sirius broke out over his chicken and untouched broccoli "OK! That’s enough. Mr. Black was a cruel bastard of a father. Please call me Sirius already." Remus chuckled from behind his book, and Gabe hid an evil gleam in his eyes by taking a big bite of steamed broccoli and complementing Mia on her cooking.

One afternoon the fire flared green and outburst an exuberant brown teen shouting his delight. "WE GOT THEM! Mia, we got them! It's happening! WE'RE GOING!" Gabe picked Mia up and spun her around, putting her down suddenly at Sirius' growl, but then perking back up, he started doing weird dance moves chanting 'we're going' over and over again in different tones and voices. Eventually he tired himself out and flopped onto the couch, snatching a sprig of asparagus off of Sirius plate knowing the man would never eat it.

Once he seemed calmed down enough Mia asked exactly where they were going. This set Gabe off again. "WE'RE GOING TO THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP!" Then he paused dramatically. 

Sirius perked up immediately but Mia just let out a casual 'oh' and Gabe exploded. 

"OH? No Mia, trust me, this is the event of a lifetime! Even you will love it. Witches and Wizards from all over the world, celebratory bonfires, trust me it's gonna be amazing. My dad being an ambassador pulled a string and got us seats for our family and I asked him if you could come when I heard he was looking into tickets and oh!" He turned to Sirius, "My mom has a big conference that day and my dad said the other ticket was for you if you wanted it."

Sirius got a look in his eyes that for a moment made Mia think everything would be ok between him and Gabe. The look passed quickly but the two spent the rest of the evening talking about the different teams and their stats. Mia found a book on magical genome mutation and settled in.

In her free time Mia kept working on her newest potions project.

Mia lightly sprinkled the snail shell into the simmering cauldron and bent close to watch the potion turn to a sharp black. As the small bits of finely crushed shell fell into the potion every point they touched on the cauldron bubbled sharply and then in a ripple like effect a brilliant red color began to spread.

"No." Mia looked with shock onto her potion as the red became sharper, an almost neon poison red and the liquid in the cauldron began to bubble fiercely. The edges of the potion that were touching the cauldron began to hiss and fizz venomously. "No, no no no no no no!" Mia realized with absolute dread that the potion was eating through her cauldron. She had no idea what to do as streams of thin black smoke that smelt horribly of rotting cabbage began to poor ominously from invisible weak spots on the outside of the cauldron. What could Mia do? She hadn't been expecting this result, anything she could try could make a potion in this state explode and with the ingredients she had used the contents would likely prove fatal. She reached for her wand, NO! That could get her expelled, should she scream for Remus? As a tiny spot on the side of her cauldron suddenly turned red as though the contents were about to break through, Mia closed her eyes tight bent down and blew out the flame with all her might. The result was immediate. The potion congealed and darkened, drying out with lightning speed on the inside of the cauldron. After a moment with no poison liquid pouring out, she cautiously lifted her head.

Mia peered tragically into her cauldron. The potion had become hard and dry in the bottom. It looked like a deep red lava rock had formed, and melded with the cauldron. Mia cautiously touched her hand to the outside bottom and was shocked to feel that it was cold to the touch. Mia sighed deeply to herself and picked up her notebook, and diligently wrote down everything she had observed after she had dropped in the shell. By her notes she hadn't done anything wrong, but the evidence in front of her told her there was a reaction that had gone un predicted by her.

How could she have gotten it wrong? Yes of course this was incredibly advanced and experimental potions making, but Mia had never, not even once, failed to get the result she had desired from a potion she had brewed or invented. Well unless you counted the color changing potion she had used on Gabe and the fact that his arm hair hadn't changed. But that had been nearly a year and a half ago and Mia had learned so much since then, and even then the potion had still done what she had wanted it to, it was the charm that was the issue.

Mia dropped her arms in defeat, the notebook in her hand hanging by her side. She didn't know what to do now. She didn't have enough ingredients to try again. She turned from her mess on the table and decided she needed to take a shower. The smell of rot was still strong in her nose.

Mia emerged from the cellar and walked through the kitchen and into the family room past where Remus and her father were doing their daily activity of reading and snoozing. Mia walked straight for the door that would lead her to the staircase and to her room but before she had gotten halfway through the room. "Oh bloody hell! What is that god awful smell?"

"I'm going to take a shower." Mia ignored the words of her father and Remus' quizzical stare. She had absolutely no desire to tell her father or her surrogate father that she had failed horribly at what she was attempting. Especially since then she would have to explain what she was attempting to make, and so she left the room just as quickly as she had entered and went to remove the horrible smell from her hair.

When Mia returned downstairs, clean and fresh Remus looked up at her with sympathy. “I vanished that mess in the lab for you, there was no repairing the caldron but we can stop by Diagon Alley tomorrow for a new one."

"No, it's pointless. I'm all out of potion ingredients and I don't even know what went wrong." She thought to herself for a moment. "I wonder if I sent an owl to Professor Snape if he would respond."

Sirius piped up at this. "Hey what could you ever get from Snivellus that you can't get from us?"

Remus shrugged, "Accurate potions expertise."

"Grease stains." Sirius muttered. "But truly love, if you need anything for potions, you get it. We have the money. There's no reason to be frugal especially if you love it."

Mia muttered her thanks when there was a knock at the front door. Excluding Gabe and the occasional muggle girl selling cookies, they didn't get visitors. Mia stood up to answer the door and Sirius called after her to order more of the coconut ones. When she opened the door Mia was greeted with an upbeat "Wotcher! Is Sirius home?" 

She was surprised to see not a young muggle girl with an order form but an older one with a pale heart shaped face and bright pink hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where are all my Tonks lovers at?


	107. Tonks

Her hair was pink. Very pink. This was all Mia could think for a moment, then she quickly snapped back to remember social graces. "Uh, yeah Sirius is here. May I tell him who's asking?"

The girl smirked "You're Amelia right? I'm Tonks, well a Tonks at least. Sirius is my first cousin, once removed and that makes you my second cousin. Nice to meet you." And with that the girl stuck out her hand and Mia promptly shook it. Mia knew she had another aunt she hadn't yet met, this must be her daughter. Draco had mentioned the family were all blood traitors and the daughter Nympha- something was a few years older than her.

"Great to meet you too, let me just go tell Sirius you're here."

Mia awkwardly left the front door open and crossed to the inside door of the entry hall. She opened the door and stepped in. "Did you get more cookies?" Sirius asked eagerly.

Mia poked her head back into the sitting room gesturing for Sirius who was not paying attention in the slightest. "No, come on, it's not a girl scout, it's a witch with pink hair, a cousin apparently. She's waiting at the door."

"Waiting for who?" Remus asked tipping down his book.

"She's waiting for him," Mia said tipping her head towards Sirius. They had been sharing a house for a few weeks and she still hadn't addressed him by name or title. She looked back to Sirius who was examining his fingernail. "Are you coming or should I tell her to go away and make an appointment?"

"Well I am a busy man, what did you say her name was?"

"Oh for merlin's sake just come. I think she said it was Tonks."

"What?" At this Sirius sat up, rolling off the couch. "Why didn't you say something? Really Mia, it's rude to keep people standing at a door like that." Mia rolled her eyes and followed him to the door to eavesdrop. Sirius flung open the inside door to the entrance hall. "Andromida my dear cousin! I've been meaning to owl."

Sirius stopped dead at the young pink haired woman who seemed to bounce to life at the sight of Sirius. "Sorry, wrong Tonks, I'm the junior. Andromeda is my mum, but I know she's been meaning to write as well. Good intentions and all…" The girl seemed a little crestfallen at the thought. "Anyways, I brought you a letter from her." She reached over and passed the folded parchment to Sirius. "She wanted to properly invite you over for a luncheon at some point but was a little nervous to bridge that gap. I on the other hand had no reservations so I decided to just barge my way in. I hope you two don't mind, it's just that I know my mum misses the family, and it would do her good to have you in her life again if you will have us." The woman shifted on her feet nervously.

Sirius looked down at the folded parchment in his hand, a blank look on his face. Mia could see the even handwriting on the face of the parchment: _Sirius_ After a moment he seemed to come back to himself and grinned widely at the woman before slipping the parchment into his pocket. "You are more than welcome. Tell me, there's no way you are little Nymphadora, are you? Last time I saw you, you were what, eight?"

"If you please, I don't go by Nymphadora. I prefer Tonks," she said, a stiff smile on her face. Mia wasn't sure, but she felt the girls hair had darkened just a touch.

Sirius chuckled. "Oh yes, I understand completely. My cousin is different from the rest of our wretched family in so many ways, but it seems she didn't manage to leave behind the ostentatious naming rubric. Well, come in! Are you hungry? Dinner isn't for a few hours but you must join us." Sirius held the door wide and gestured Tonks inside before leading her to the sitting room. Mia closed the door behind them and followed behind.

When they entered the sitting room, Remus looked up from his book and then stood.

"Remus, may I introduce my dear first cousin once removed, Tonks. Tonks, this is my best friend, Remus Lupin."

"A pleasure to meet you Miss Tonks," Remus said, shaking her hand.

"Please, just Tonks," she said with a small smile.

"Tonks, lovely," he said, holding her hand a moment longer before dropping it and looking around to Sirius.

Sirius was grinning, but gestured for Tonks to take a seat when they looked to him. "Please, sit and tell us all about yourself, and your family. Is your mother still married to that muggle born?"

"Sirius," Remus said, shooting a dirty look at his friend. Tonks took a seat on the couch, Sirius' usual domain, and Mia sat beside her while Sirius picked another chair.

"What?" Sirius asked. "I married one too, so I'm allowed to talk about it. Us blood traitors have certain privileges."

Tonks laughed. "Yes, my Mum and da are still happy. They only ever fight over pointless things. She really wants to meet you," she said, turning to Mia. "She wanted to reach out when you started Hogwarts, but wasn't sure how to go about it. Me too of course. We just barely missed each other in school. I think I graduated right before you started your first year, then I started my Auror training and time got away from me."

"You joined the Auror's?" Remus asked.

"Yep, just graduated from training yesterday." She pulled back her robes to show the badge at her hip. "I'm official."

"So are you here socially or on business?" Sirius asked with a smile.

"Social of course. After what they put you through I think the ministry will be staying far from your door."

Sirius leaned forward in his chair, squinting closely at Tonks before his face brightened. "I remember now! You were a metamorphmagus right? I remember when you were little, changing your ears like an elephant."

"Yep," Tonks hair turned a brilliant green, the color streaming from her roots down to the tips. Then it shortened and turned bright red before resuming its bubblegum pink. "I got top marks in my Concealment and Disguise class."

"That's absolutely brilliant," Remus said, a wide smile on his face as he and Tonks looked at each other.

Just then the fireplace flared to life and Gabe stepped out, a small stack of books in arm. He scanned the room, eyes falling on Mia and smiled. "I thought I would bring these back," he started, but paused when he saw the woman sitting next to Mia. "Sorry, didn't know you had guests."

"Don't leave on my account, the more the merrier," Tonks said.

"This is Gabe, he's my best friend. He also plans to be an Auror some day, and is a Ravenclaw, so I am sure he will want to ask you all about it." Gabe's eyes grew large, and he stared at that shiny badge at Tonks' hip. "Gabe, this is Tonks, my second cousin."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Gabe said excitedly crossing the room and balancing the books on one arm so he could shake her hand. "What was auror training like? Were the entrance exams hard? What did you get on you NEWTs?"

"Sit down kid, you can grill her after we've had a chance," Sirius said.

"Sorry." Gabe set the stack of books on the low table between the chairs and sat in an overstuffed orange chair near Mia, watching Tonks with rapt attention and admiration. Mia ignored the feeling she felt rise in the pit of her stomach.

She got up to make tea.

When she came back with a tray and teapot Tonks was telling Gabe about her Auror application. Mia passed out tea before taking her spot again, awkwardly sitting between Gabe's char and Tonks' place on the far end of the couch as they talked over her. "They definitely judge the applications harshly, so make sure you can add any extra circulars possible. Oh, and try to keep your nose clean at Hogwarts. They don't care about small pranks, but anything that could go on your record can hurt your chances. I had a mate who had better NEWTs than me, but he had a warning for underage wizardry against him and they didn't let him in."

"Ah, so something like becoming an animagus illegally would blow an applicants chances?" Sirius asked casually. Mia felt the bottom drop out of her stomach and she looked at Gabe. His eyes were wide with terror and his face flushed. He looked at her with panic.

"Oh, I did hear about that one," Tonks said with a laugh to Sirius. "I think the only reason the Ministry hasn't hit you with a warning on that is due to their screw up with throwing you in Azkaban. Were you thinking about applying for the Auror program? I bet the department would feel guilty enough to even let you try."

Sirius seemed to ponder the idea but then shook his head. "Na, I may have applied once upon a time, but back then taking out Voldemort seemed like more of a priority, and the Aurors weren't up for the challenge."

Mia's eyebrows went up at the name, and Gabe and Tonks flinched. "That's right, Mum told me you were all apart of Dumbledore's Order back then. I remember mum and dad hosted a meeting at the house, and I had to stay in my room." She looked at Mia, eyebrows wiggling up and down. "I listened at the door of course."

Remus leaned forward in his chair. "It's not something we openly discuss," he said, nodding his head towards Mia and Gabe. Mia's attention was fully caught on the adults before her.

"Right, the secret part of a secret society," Tonks said. "So Sirius, want me to pick up an Animagus registration form for you so you can get things sorted before the Ministry comes calling?"

"Wait, you can't just stop there," Mia said. "You can't just mention a secret society created by Dumbledore and then just change the subject."

"It was created to defeat You-Know-Who?" Gabe asked. "That's so brilliant."

Remus sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"Professor McGonagall mentioned something once about and order of the…. Phoenix? Is that the same thing?" Mia asked.

"Come on Moony, the kids are cool. We can tell them about the Order. Well, Mia at least. Maybe we should wait till the boy one leaves," Sirius stage whispered to Remus.

"So Amelia, what about you? Any career aspirations for after Hogwarts?" Tonks asked to change the subject.

Mia sighed and turned to her cousin. She would have to try and get more information out of the two men later. "I'm not really sure what I want to do. I was thinking about becoming a potions master, or a healer who specializes in potions."

"Really?" Tonks asked, her eyebrows disappearing into her bangs. "I didn't think it was possible for a Hogwarts student to develop an interest in potions with a potions master like Snape." Her nose grew long and pointed, longer than Snape's, but not by much. Gabe burst out laughing, spraying tea over the table. Sirius laughed just as hard from his chair and Remus cleaned up the tea with a wave of his wand.

"Professor Snape isn't as terrible once you get to know him," Mia said stiffly.

"No, he's worse," Sirius said between laughs, wiping the tears of mirth from his eyes.

"Mia was one of the few students Snape tolerated because she's so brilliant in the subject," Gabe explained to Tonks. "He tutored her in advanced potions, and then she tutored me in remedial potions since I'm rubbish."

Not that it mattered any more, Mia thought to herself. Snape had been so mad over her father being proven innocent she didn't think she could still turn to him for potions help. Even though she now needed it more than ever with her most recently ruined potion. Tonks asked her a few more questions about her interests and they got into a conversation on poisons, Tonks describing an antidote she had to create for her Auror examinations.

After a few hours it grew late, and Tonks announced she was expected home for a dinner celebration for passing her exams. Sirius thanked her for the visit and promised to send an owl to her mum. They all said their goodbyes and Tonks took the floo home.

"Are you staying for dinner, Gabriel?" Remus asked when the fireplace dimmed.

"No, I have an uncle visiting so my mum told me to be home. Do we have plans for tomorrow?" he asked Mia.

"I have to go to Diagon Alley."

"I meant fun plans."

"Potion ingredient shopping is fun to me."

Gabe rolled his eyes. "Well can I come? We can get ice cream afterwards or something."

"Yeah, let's do it." Mia turned to the two adults, looking from one to another. "If that is ok?" she asked. She wasn't particularly used to having freedom, or asking for permission to use it. "It's not like there's a crazy lunatic on the loose who may come after me… Anymore."

Sirius winced and Mia felt only a little guilty. The previous year had been hard on her too.

"That's fine," Remus said at last, stepping in. "But make sure you are back in time for dinner."

"Want me to bring something back for dinner?" she asked, dreading that one of the men would cook instead.

"Don't worry about it," Sirius said grinning. "We will handle it."

Mia grimaced and said her goodbyes to Gabe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really do love Tonks :] Hope your week is doing well!


	108. Potion ingredients

Mia couldn't sleep that night and she wasn't quite sure why. The ceiling above her bedroom was silent as it had been every night since her first night when Sirius' dreams had woken her. The first few nights she had thought maybe he just hadn't had any night terrors, but after a week she didn't think that was the case. He still drank each night as the sun set, and rose each morning haggard with deep bruised bags under his eyes. She knew he was drinking pepperup potions each day, and Mia knew that wasn't a pattern that he could maintain for long. Mia was quite sure that either him or Remus had set a silencing spell over his room so he wouldn't wake her, and he could scream in peace.

She didn't know what to call him and she didn't know how to act around him, but the idea of him in agony every night paralyzed in dreams and the memories of the dementors still haunted her. She was at a standstill with her other potions project. She wasn't sure why her potion had failed so miserably and the failure still weighed heavily on her. Maybe while she waited for new inspiration on how to fix her wrecked potion, she could find something that would help night terrors. She knew there were a few potions for dreamless sleep but for someone with such trauma, the psyche was such a frail thing and dreams an integral part of the mind, that she didn't want to somehow shatter his mind further with the wrong cure treatment. She had only begun to look through the new library in her house, and she had mostly looked over books on general potions. Maybe she would have to look through the books on healing and the mind to see if she could come up with anything. With her mind made up, she drifted off to sleep. 

Mia woke to the peaceful glow of the sun in her roof shining on her face. It felt later than she usually slept but she still felt groggy. She pulled a pillow over her face and groaned. She had tossed and turned so long that night, unable to sleep. The stress of her failed potion, and unease over what to do for Sirius keeping her mind turning.

She took a long warm shower before getting ready for her day. She dressed in one of the nice dresses her aunt had bought for her the year before. She was taller now, but the length was meant to be longer so it would still be proper for a day out on the town. She decided for a bit of a change and braided her bangs over on one side of her face tying it with one of her old blue faded ribbons. Knowing it was Remus who had bought them for her only made them more special.

When she left her room and headed for the stairs the smell of cooking reached her nose and her heart sank just a little at the thought of what she might need to pretend to enjoy that day. She walked into the kitchen tentatively to see Sirius and Remus bent over the oven.

"It looks good, try it now."

"Yes that was perfect!"

Remus turned around and saw Mia standing in the doorway. He nudged Sirius who also turned. His eyes were tired but lit at the sight of her. Pepperup potions did wonders. He turned back to the oven frantically for a moment before he turned off the oven and moved a pan off the burner and then turned back to her. Remus and him nodded in rhythm before they began to sing. 

"Happy birthday to you!" 

Sparks and light shot out of Remus' wand and confetti came out of Sirius'. 

"Squashed tomato and stew!"

The confetti began to change into butterflies that flapped around her gently as Remus's wand started whistling along with the tune, sparks and lights flared in time to the melody. 

"You look like a monkey, and you smell like one too!" 

The confetti butterflies and lights doubled for the grand finale before the men cheered. They both moved in for a group hug and Mia was passed between them before she was sat at the table, with tea and a pair of perfectly cooked crepes with cream and strawberries. It was delicious.

Even though Remus had remembered her birthday every year with his mysterious gifts, Mia had thought somehow this year would be missed, that her birthday would fade into the background, but as Mia opened her presents she saw they hand remembered all along. Remus had gotten her a new caldron, purchased long before she had melted her own, and Sirius gave her a ring. It had belonged to her mother, sapphire for her mother's birthstone, set in a bronze filigree band. It fit on Mia's right middle finger and she tried not to cry when she slipped it on and batted away a confetti butterfly still floating around the kitchen.

Gabe arrived a time later, singing a kinder version of the birthday song as he stepped out of the floo. He handed her a package, wrapped in gold and ruby paper. She held it in her hands, feeling the even weight she knew so well. "Don't tell me, it's a book?" she asked with a grin before tearing the paper to reveal the old leather binding.

"Of course it's a book!" Gabe said. Sirius snorted from behind them on the couch. "It's always going to be a book. The surprise comes from _what_ the book is about."

Mia pulled the old book out of the paper. The cover was blank, with nothing more than a symbol of six equilateral triangles crossing over themselves. "The Wonderings of Gorsemoor?" Mia read from the spine. "Not Gunhilda de Gorsemoor," she said. Opening the book she read the first few pages, amazed at what she saw. "Gabe, how much did this cost you?"

"Uhh," he stammered.

"Mia Bell, that's not usually what you say after receiving a gift," Remus corrected from behind her.

Mia ignored her godfather and looked up at Gabe. "Was this really written by her?"

"Who?" Sirius asked.

"Gunhilda de Gorsemoor, the inventor of the dragon pox cure," Mia answered.

"Yeah, it’s her, but it's not an original, and it's not all that valuable," Gabe said scratching his head. "It's mostly a collection of thoughts and theories she had but never proved. Random potion ideas from a witch in the sixteenth century. Not something very sought after.”

Mia couldn't believe it. It was wonderful. Exactly the type of book she would love. Random theories from one of the most renowned healers and Potioneers. "Thank you so much Gabe!" She hugged Gabe tight, pressing the book into his back.

Sirius coughed behind her.

She let go a moment later and flipped the book open to a random place and started reading.

"Um, Mia?" Gabe asked.

"Yeah?" she asked, reading a passage on transmogrification theory.

"Did you still want to go to Diagon Alley?"

It took a moment for the words to sink in and she looked up at him. "Oh, right. Sorry." She looked at the book and closed it slowly.

"It will be here when you get back, dear," Remus informed her.

Mia sighed and Gabe laughed. She said goodbye to Remus and Sirius and headed to the floo before she stopped. She turned back to Sirius. "Um," she started. She still didn't know how to address him, but he looked up at her hesitation as though it had become his name. "Do I have a spending limit?"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Get whatever you want kid," he said with a wink. Mia smiled and headed back to the floo. The excitement rising in her as she pinched the dust and threw it into the flames. The emerald flames sprung up around her as she stepped in, and out at the leaky cauldron hearth. Gabe stepped out a moment later.

"Still don't know what to call him?" he asked with a smile.

The warm feelings from the fire left her and her face fell. "No."

The sun was warm and the sky was clear as they stepped through the brick barrier into Diagon Alley. "Where to first birthday girl?" Gabe asked as they examined the shops.

She smiled up at him. Think you can survive if we go to the Apothecary first? Then we can hit up Florean Fortescue's."

"I think my stomach can handle it," Gabe said lightly.

They headed to the old potions supply store and Mia was giddy with excitement as they stepped into the brightly lit room filled with herbs and powders and jars. "Bloody hell it reeks in here," Gabe said covering his nose. Mia elbowed him in the stomach before she started perusing the shelves, looking at everything available. It had been nearly two years since shed been to Diagon Alley, and she knew so much more about potions now. The apothecary in Hogsmeade had nothing on the selection here. She lifted lids, sniffed pots and peered through glass at the ingredients, trying to think up what she could do with all the different items. After a few minutes an old wrinkled man came out of the back of the shop.

"What can I do for ye'?" he asked looking at the two teens skeptically.

Mia reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment. "I need all of this," she said to the man.

He frowned at the writing and pulled a small pair of spectacles out of the breast pocket of his vest. He perched the small frames on his nose, looked at the paper and blinked. He kept reading. After a moment he dropped the paper and gave her a dirty look. "Is this a joke?" He asked.

"No sir," Mia said, trying to look as trustable as possible. "Do you owl deliver parcels?"

"The wolfsbane quantities on this list alone cost a fortune, and what do ye' need saltpertr and ptolemy for?"

She saw Gabe look at her out of the corner of his eye. He had likely recognized the last two ingredients. "The bill is to be charged to House Black."

The man looked shocked for a moment, then lowered his glasses and looked at her closely. "Ahhh, you’re that one are ye'?"

"Will there be any problems with getting the quantities needed on such short notice?" she asked, crossing her arms and lifting her chin.

Her question had the desired effect as the apothecary owner scowled. "This here is the finest apothecary in all of London. There will be no problem with the quantities," he said shortly. "Where are they to be delivered?"

Mia gave him the address and the man told them they would be delivered that day.

Mia and Gabe left the old shop, entering back into the light of day. "What are you using ptolemy for?" Gabe asked as they headed down the road. Mia bit her lip, trying to decide if she should answer or not. Her silence stretched on until Gabe nudged her. "You can't become an animagus twice you know." he said with a small smile.

Mia sighed. "I'm trying to invent something, and so far I've failed miserably," she began.

"Well what is it?"

"Do you mind if I don't tell you just yet?" she asked hesitantly. "No don't give me that look. It's not a surprise. No, it's not a prank either. It's something that could be important, but I don't want to talk about it yet when I don't even know if it will work.

"I get it. I'm a Ravenclaw you'll remember. We are fond of hiding our failures. Just remember that I wont ever judge you for getting something wrong. But if this is something dangerous, I really would like to know. Even if I'm shit at potions, I can still help somehow."

"Don't worry, it's not dangerous to me," Mia assured him. 

Gabe was silent for a moment. “With what your cousin said, do you think it’s true?”

“Which part?” Mia asked, thinking about the Order.

“About not becoming an Auror if anyone finds out I’m an Animagus.”

Mia frowned. She had been worrying about that too. It was her fault Gabe had become an Animagus, and now his future was at risk. She needed to find a way to make it better. 

They spent that afternoon eating ice cream at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, then wasted hours wandering the second hand and used bookstores. Mia found a few old healers books on the mind and one on dreams that looked promising, and as it grew late they headed back to the Leaky Cauldron to floo back to Mia's house.

When they arrived an amazing smell hit Mia's nose. "Did you hire someone to cook? She asked Remus as she set her new used books on the table.

"Did you know that little diner in the village can do take out orders?" Remus asked.

Sirius poked his head out of the door to the kitchen scowling. "Why am I bothering to put it in the fancy dishes if you are just gonna tell her we didn't cook it?"

"Gabe, are you staying for dinner?" Remus asked ignoring his best friend.

"I would love to, thank you sir."

"What the hell is this?" Sirius exclaimed from the kitchen. Mia, Gabe, and Remus all wandered into the kitchen in time to see a half dozen owls leaving parcels on the kitchen table before flying out the window. Sirius pulled a piece of parchment out of one of the packages. "Good lord that is a lot of galleons. Are all the Hogwarts books made of gold this year?" He turned to look at his audience. "Is this everything you need for school?"

"Ummm."

Sirius gave her a look. "What?"

"I didn't get my school supplies yet. We haven't gotten our letters."

"Then what is all this?" Sirius asked in disbelief poking a large package on the table.

"Potions ingredients," Mia said meekly.

"POTIONS INGREDIENTS?" Sirius exclaimed. "You spent THAT MUCH on potions ingredients?"

"Sirius, really," Remus began putting a hand on his friend's arm to calm him. Sirius just handed over the invoice and Remus read the totals, his eyes going wide. "Merlin's beard!" he exclaimed.

"You said I didn't have a spending limit," Mia began.

"That was when I thought you were going to spend it on something nice for your birthday, not on _potions ingredients_ ," he said with disgust.

"I like making potions, remember?" She didn't want to say most of it was for the wolfsbane potion, not with Remus standing right there. He wouldn't like knowing they were arguing over something that was for him. Wolfsbane was incredibly expensive. This was why most werewolves couldn't afford it. "Look, if we can't afford it I can see if I can start growing what I need."

Sirius scoffed. "That isn't the point. We can afford it just fine kid. We're loaded. My point is, did you get anything for yourself? Anything fun or irresponsible?"

Mia frowned. "I did get a few books from the used book store."

Sirius covered his face with his hand, and shook his head before walking away. She looked at Remus confused. Remus just shook his head. "If it was him he would have spent twice that on a broom or something stupid and irresponsible."

Mia just shrugged. "It was all stuff I needed."

"Yes, but I think he was hoping you would buy things you didn't need."

"Why would I do that?" she asked.

Remus just patted her shoulder and walked out of the kitchen into the dining room, following Sirius. She turned to Gabe still confused. Gabe just shook his head. "You're too responsible for him Stripe."

Mia rolled her eyes, and they followed the men into the dining room. Dinner was delicious, they would need to order from that diner more often, and Mia enjoyed sitting around the table with this new family she was beginning to get used to. Sirius and Remus told stories from their time at Hogwarts, giving Gabe and Mia plenty of ideas for new pranks, and Mia and Gabe told the two men about the pranks they had played. Sirius said he was excited to meet the Weasley Twins after Mia told him about some of the things she had been helping them with. All in all it was a quiet evening, surrounded by people who cared about her, and Mia had to admit it was the best birthday she had ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Birthday happiness.


	109. Owl mail

During lunch the day before they were to leave for the quidditch world cup, a snowy owl swooped through the kitchen window and landed gently on the table.

"Hedwig!" Sirius exclaimed as a smile spread over his previously exhausted face.

Sirius took the letter from the owl as Mia shared small pieces of her sandwich lunch meat with the beautiful bird.

"How is Harry?" Mia asked.

"Give me a moment, I've barely got the letter open," Sirius replied.

But Mia ignored him. She hadn't been asking him.

Hedwig brought up her wings in a bird shrug. _"The muggles haven't been so bad this year, but my Wizard is always sad when he is away from his friends,"_ she said.

Mia's stomach turned uncomfortably and she let the bird have the rest of her food. She'd been relieved when Harry had to stay with his family at the end of term, but she remembered the dejected look on his face and the absolute gloom that had stayed with him until the year ended. She felt selfish and guilty for not wanting Harry around acting all chummy with Sirius while she didn't even know what to call him.

Maybe she should remind Sirius he promised Harry could stay with them for part of the summer.

Hedwig finished nibbling on her sandwich and took off out the window with a goodbye. Mia sighed and started cleaning up the lunch things.

"What's wrong Sirius?" Remus asked.

He was in the middle of writing a rather long letter to someone, and Mia was waiting for him to set the to address on the envelope so she could sneak a peek. He'd been getting a lot of letters recently, all from the same messy handwriting, and Mia was itching to know who they were from. She knew Sirius was also just as curious as he had been asking the man leading questions each time one of the letters arrived.

Mia looked at Sirius and saw he was frowning.

"Harry said his scar hurt last night." The two men traded looks. "He asked if I know anything on magical scars." Remus frowned and Sirius returned to the letter. "Oh! He says he'll be at the quidditch world cup! How wonderful. Maybe we can all meet up. He's going with the Weasley's. I'm so glad Molly and Arthur have been looking out for him. Mia, have you finished packing yet for the cup?"

That small spot of surprise ran through her as Sirius addressed her. He had done it often enough, but it still caught her off guard somehow, as if she needed to be more prepared for conversing with him.

"Um, not yet."

"What? Aren't you excited?"

"Well, Quidditch really isn't my thing…"

Serious frowned. "Well, there are the cultural and historical implications of the event."

Mia just stared at him. "What?"

Remus was also staring at Sirius and smiled slightly as though vaguely amused.

"The world cup is one of the only times witches and wizards from all over the world can come together. That may sound trivial, but the statute of secrecy means isolation for our kind," Sirius said.

"Mind you, the world cup is also the greatest security risk to the statute of secrecy," Remus added. "I believe it was one of the biggest arguments as to why the law needed to be passed."

"Very true, Moony. It was passed about a hundred years after the world cup started. Apparently working security for the cup is a shit job they give to ministry members who are out of favor. Try telling a group of drunk wizards they can't levitate their tent and you’ll get hexed," Sirius said.

"You also got a nasty fine for hexing that ministry worker," Remus said.

"Totally worth it," Sirius said before flashing Mia a grin.

Mia couldn't help the grin that crept on her face. She asked them questions about past world cups, and the men regaled her with their own old stories and with stories from years long before any of them were born. Sirius even kept talk of the specific matches to a minimum, mentioning who'd played and any spectacular mishaps from the games, but not launching into the game play by play as he would with Gabe.

They told her about games that lasted for weeks, games that resulted in the more interesting rules like no dragons being allowed in the stadium under any circumstances, and about the 1877 tournament that had to be restaged in 1878 because no one could remember attending in 1877.

That evening Mia finished packing her bag for the weekend, for the first time more than a little excited to be going.

They left bright and early the next morning. She felt bad leaving Remus just before the full moon, he was already looking pale. Mia gave Remus a hug and made sure he had enough wolfsbane potion for the week before they threw powder into the floo and stepped into the warm green flames.

Mia loved the floo. She kept her lips tightly closed as she smiled wide and spun around and around. When she stopped spinning she caught herself on the edge of the fireplace, and stepped into the bright room.

"Good show, Stripes," Gabe said, smiling. "I give the landing a ten out of ten." He took Mia's backpack from her and she stepped into the room so Sirius would have room to exit. The space was brightly lit, with big bay windows on two sides. The furnishings were in soft warm colors. Gabe fit in this room, standing tall in jeans and a light grey cotton shirt. He opened his mouth to say something when the fireplace roared and Sirius stepped out of the fire. "Sirius, welcome," Gabe said.

Sirius stood still for a moment before he nodded as though opening his mouth was a bad idea just then. After a second he shook his head and let out a sigh. "Almost thought that potion was gonna come back up."

Sirius had downed a pepperup potion just before they left. He had also slipped a few into his bag that morning.

Mrs. Adewumi came into the living room to greet them.

"Sirius, Mia, so glad you could come." She gave Mia a hug and shook Sirius' hand.

"Happy to be here, Lucia. Sorry to hear you couldn't make the match," Sirius replied.

"Yes, it's a shame, but I'm glad you will be taking my place. Well, come in, we are about to sit down to breakfast, then you lot can head out."

They followed her into a yellow sunny kitchen with a large dark stained table. Two men already sat at the table, an older man with big bushy eyebrows and no hair on the top of his head, only the sides, and a younger man who looked a lot like Gabe.

Gabe's dad and brother stood when they entered.

"Sirius, a pleasure to finally meet you," his dad said as he shook Sirius' hand. "And Mia," he turned to her and smiled. "Gabe has told us all about you. Thank you for saving his potions grade."

Mia laughed. "Well he's helped me back in Transfiguration, so it was only fair."

Alec, Gabe's older brother also shook both their hands. He grinned at Mia as if he was telling a joke. "Truly a pleasure," he said as he bowed over her hand.

"Ok," Gabe said interrupting the group. "Let's eat and get out of here."

Breakfast was delicious, a big meal of sausage, eggs and toast. They all stuffed their faces before Mrs. Adewumi left for her conference. After cleaning up the kitchen things, Gabe, Alec and their dad grabbed their large backpacks.

"So, where are we to catch the portkey?" Sirius asked.

"There's a small wood behind the house. Just a few minutes from here. The portkey doesn't leave for a half hour still, so we should have plenty of time to hunt for it," Mr. Adewumi said.

"Excellent," Sirius said, swinging on his backpack and handing Mia's to her. "Let's get this party started."

Mia sighed quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are officially over 3000 hits 🎉 We did it guys!!   
> What are you most excited to see for the quidditch world cup?? Interested to see it from the perspective of someone who doesn't love the game?


	110. Making Camp

They left the house out a back door into a small garden lined with trees on all sides. The Adewumi house, it turned out, was small and brick and square. The windows were narrow and evenly spaced, completely different from the large wide windows Mia had seen in every room she'd visited.

"Coming?" Gabe asked. Mia smiled and turned back to him. They caught up with the others who had started walking into the trees. She walked side by side with Gabe while Sirius, Alec and Mr. Adewumi talked about quidditch stats and chances.

They walked for about five minutes before Mr. Adewumi came to a stop beside a large tree. "Alright team. It should be right around here somewhere. Lets split up but don't go out of sight."

Mia turned and looked around as the others started to move away from her. "So we just look for trash?" she asked Gabe.

"Yeah. Usually something small enough to be lifted."

Gabe stayed close as they wandered through the trees. They found a mars bar wrapper and an old glove before returning to where they started. Alec met them and dropped a bucket and a three foot length of rope on top of their pile.

Mia heard footsteps in the crunching leaves and looked up in time to see a girl she remembered getting sorted into Gryffindor the year before followed by a man and a woman who looked a bit like her.

"Martha, Rony, good to see you," Mr. Adewumi said, greeting the couple as he came out of the trees and added his findings to the pile.

"Adamu, good to see you. Have you found it yet?"

"Hard to say." They all looked down at the pile of junk. Sirius came out of the trees and added a hubcap and a pair of crusty headphones. "Ah, do you two know Sirius Black? He and his daughter are joining us for the game."

The couple had matching looks of shock, quickly smoothed out into warm smiles as they greeted Sirius and gave him their best 'so sorry for how the ministry wronged you' speech.

Two more people came out of the woods, a man carrying a hard helmet and a boy Mia though maybe a sixth year, carrying a wet cardboard box.

"Found a few more things," the man said. "How long do we have?"

"Two minutes and counting," Alec said.

"Lets spread out our finds. We may have to act quickly. It will start shining when sixty seconds remain," Mr. Adewumi started. They lined up the items so everything was in view. "Remember you need to be touching it at the end of the minute. Just a finger will do."

"Are any of them glowing?" Alec asked squinting through the gloom.

"The glove!" Sirius said. Sure enough, the glove started to glow a pale blue.

Alec picked it up and held it out. "Gather around quick."

Mia squeezed in between Sirius and Gabe. She pinched the end of one of the glove fingers, and Gabe grabbed the same finger a little farther up from her hand so his hand rested over hers. They all crammed their shoulders close together, everyone reaching out and cramming together, till they had a finger touching.

They stood awkwardly for a few moments.

"What time is it?"

"I can't see my watch."

"So who do you think will win?"

Suddenly Mia felt something hook behind her navel and tug. She was flying through the air, wind ripping around her. She felt Gabe on one side and Sirius on the other. It lasted longer than felt right, and for a moment she started to worry it would never end when suddenly she fell out of the sky and landed on her feet.

"Three after ten from Marlton wood," a voice rang out. Mia bent over afraid she was going to puke. She closed her eyes tight and held her breath. When it felt safe she let it out slowly.

She opened her eyes and saw Gabe laying flat on the ground holding his stomach. Gabe saw her and shook his head. "You're such a cat," he said, before getting up.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked.

On her other side, Sirius was on one knee a hand over his mouth. He closed his eyes for a long moment and swallowed hard before putting a hand on her shoulder and using it to stand up. "It means you always land on your feet, kid."

A man wearing a poncho and a kilt told them where to find their campsite, and they parted ways from the other families and started walking into the woods. After two miles, Sirius was looking grim, sweating and breathing hard, and they finally reached a small cabin with a man sitting in an old wooden chair outside the door. Sirius bent over breathing hard while the rest of them reached the man.

"Mr. Payne I presume?" Mr. Adewumi asked.

The old man looked at them with a bored glazed expression. "Name?"

"Adewumi."

The old man looked at a clipboard in his hand. "One tent for two nights," he said.

"That's us."

The old man looked slowly at their party as if asking how they would fit in a single tent but only told them the price. Mr. Adewumi pulled a few folded bills out of his wallet and handed them over like an expert.

The man tucked the bills into his pocket and pointed up a hill. "Half a mile down. Lot 203 on the left."

"Cheers." Mr. Adewumi said before turning and starting up the hill. Mia turned to see Sirius tucking an empty bottle back into his bag. He looked better. His skin had more color and aside from the smoke streaming out of his ears, looked well-rested and normal. He caught up to Mia and Gabe and gave the old man a nod before following Alec and Mr. Adewumi. Mia tried to suppress her worry. He had barely put on any weight since being on the run, and she didn't think he had slept a whole night through since the summer had started.

As they walked up the hill they began to pass tents. Tent was the wrong word. They weren't tents but they all seemed to have a tent like bases. Canvas or brightly colored nylon. The most basic had just a few oddities, like glass windows and flower boxes, or chimneys and weathervanes, while others had steeples, towers or multiple floors. One tent had a wooden front door and a slanted shingled roof.

Mia smiled wide. Gabe had told her they would be tent camping, but she'd forgotten the magical element. Wizards wouldn't camp like muggles.

When they reached an empty lot, in between a victorian orange and black tent, and an all white canvas tent stretched between two trees that looked like it would just hold one short man laying under it, Gabe and Alec reached into one of the bags and pulled out a bright blue tarp and a rolled up mess of grey fabric and short polls.

The brothers stretched out the tarp over a flat part of the ground then spread out the tent. Once it was flat Alec looked around then pulled out his wand and shot orange sparks at the tent. It popped up all at once, the polls aligning, and spikes driving the four points into the ground. It looked like a typical tent. The sort you would see in a wilderness magazine or on TV. It had been a few years since Mia had lived in the muggle world, but when she pictured a tent, this was just about what she saw. It was maybe a little taller than a normal tent, allowing someone to enter standing up, but looked utterly normal.

Alec looked at his dad who shrugged. "No point in being completely incognito given the neighbors."

Alec grinned and flicked his wand again and a porch stretched out in front of the tent, patio furniture popping up to the left of the entrance and a small bird bath in the corner. Alec levitated the bird bath out a few feet off the porch and filled it with water.

Mia and Gabe shared a grin, and they all moved to enter the tent.

Inside was a wide spacious living room, filled with overstuffed couches and a large fireplace. The furnishings were tasteful and warm like the Adewumi home had been.

"The kitchen is on the right. Sirius, you and Mia have the first room down the hall on the right if that's all right with you. I'm on the left and the boys will be straight down. We can do lunch in an hour or so if everyone wants to get settled in."

Alec was already to the door to his room and Gabe followed. Sirius pushed open the door for their room and ushered Mia inside. The room was large, with two big beds on either side covered with patchwork quilts. Sirius threw his bag on the bed closest to the door, and glass bottles clanked inside. "Quite a lovely tent," he said brightly before flopping back on the bed. "Wake me for lunch."

Mia snorted and set her bag on the far bed. "Like you could sleep with that much pepperup potion in your system."

She saw Sirius raise a hand and point it in her direction. "Never doubt my abilities."

She shook her head in amusement and looked around the room. There was a large desk and vanity on one side with big open windows on either side, covered with thin gossamer curtains letting in the morning light. She hadn't seen any windows from outside the tent but didn't let that bother her. Magic was awesome. 

There were two doors on the far wall, one turned out to be a large closet with a small couch in it, and the second was an even larger bathroom with a shower and oversize tub. Mia chuckled to herself as she returned to her bag and started unpacking her things, hanging them in the closet or storing them in the bathroom. Their tickets permitted them to arrive at the camp the day before the world cup would start, while others had already been at the camp for weeks. Mr. Adewumi had told her organizing the tournament was a nightmare. He said it with a laugh as it wasn't part of his job. Adult wizards had more freedom if they could apparate, there were safe zones where they could arrive when desired, but anyone who needed portkey travel had to be scheduled out. With wizarding families coming from all over the world, it was a complex process just waiting to fail.

Both Alec and Sirius could have waited to arrive the following evening just before the start of the cup, but both of them wanted to be part of the festivities. Sirius said the camping was just as much fun as the actual game, and couldn't wait to relive it.

Mia hoped this trip would be good for him. He was so grim when he thought no one was looking, or when it started to get late, and the sun started to set. She wasn't sure how he would do sleeping in a strange place.

She finished unpacking and sat on her bed, cracking open her notes. She was nervous about more than just Sirius's night. She wanted to talk to Alec about dreamless sleep potions and she hoped he wouldn't laugh her off thinking her a child. She didn't dare ask him about her other potions project. He wouldn't take her seriously about that. No, she needed to work on that project alone until she had something that wouldn't end in a ruined cauldron.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think Mia's secret project it? How do you think Sirius will do sleeping in the woods?   
> As a note/reminder, things will start speeding up soon, we are pretty close to the end of this fic. I'm almost finished writing out year 7. These chapters I've broken up really small, but I think I'm gonna leave the later chapters bigger. I think year five is like 8k words. What do you think, leave it big or break it up so it lasts longer? (your comments will likely sway me) I thought about breaking it up right in big cliffhanger points, but IDK how mean I wanna be :]   
> As soon as I have all the chapters scheduled out, I will update the total chapter count on this fic so you can be more prepared for the ending :]   
> But don't worry, we aren't there yet, and I think year 4 will have plenty of wonderful moments you will love.


	111. Fireworks (sorry no, not those kind)

A knock sounded on the open door jam and Mia looked up to see Gabe. Sirius didn't seem to stir.

"Do you want to do some exploring?" he asked.

Mia put down the notebook and stood up. "That sounds like fun." She turned to Sirius unsure. "Um.." Mia started.

Sirius turned his head and looked at her expectantly.

"Did you wanna go?" she asked.

Sirius smiled. "You two go have fun."

Mia smiled back softly and followed Gabe out of the tent.

"Did you notice he answers to 'um' now?" Gabe asked once they were out of sight of the tent.

Mia groaned and covered her face. "What am I going to do? It's been so long now calling him anything would just be even more weird!"

Gabe laughed and Mia shoved him causing him to almost fall into a moat surrounding a large stone grey tent. They walked for a while through the tents, pointing out the best of the oddities, a three story tent with battlements on top, gardens and swimming pools and dog houses outside.

"What if you just picked one and started calling him that, just see how he reacts. I bet it would only be weird the first or second time you address him. Just use it like four times in a conversation, and then you'll be fine," Gabe suggested.

"But what one do I use?" Mia asked.

"Well, I call my dad, dad. It's short and simple and easy to remember."

Mia glared at him.

"If that is too much of a commitment you could go with da. It's just a sound, not even a full word."

"Can you take this seriously for a moment?" Mia asked.

"I am being serious!" Gabe complained, but he was smiling a little. "If you just do it, it really won't be weird for long, then you avoid the weirdness of calling him Sirius and possibly hurting his feelings, or calling him Father and sounding like a prat."

Mia was quiet while she thought it over. Thinking about calling him dad made her stomach feel weird and then she felt anxious. Having a father wasn't just a switch she could flip inside of herself and then suddenly be ok with that close connection between them as if it had always been. It made her feel so anxious, she just froze up.

Mia sighed and they kept walking. They passed a large ornate tent made of silver and gold striped silk. Two albino peacocks were tethered at the entrance. Mia stopped and stared at the pale all white peacocks. She had seen them before, roaming the gardens of Malfoy Manor. Mia frowned. She didn't think Sirius would do well if he encountered his cousin.

"What's wrong?" Gabe asked.

"I think that's Draco's tent. Those peacocks, I recognize them. It's really close to us, I hope Sirius doesn't wander this way."

"Gold on silver silk? Yikes. I would be embarrassed to be related to someone in that mess too."

"That's not what I mean," Mia said. "He doesn't get along with his family. I mean, he was thrown in Azkaban for supposedly following You-Know-Who and Draco's family may actually follow him. It wouldn't be good for his state of mind, you know? Bring up bad memories."

"How do you think he'll do tonight?" Gabe asked.

Mia frowned. She wasn't sure. She was surprised he agreed to stay as it was, but when she told him the plan he'd just made a comment about not leaving her in a tent with suspicious characters and agreed to come. "Maybe he will just set a sound barrier or something. I don't know."

After they walked a distance, they returned to the tent for lunch in the form of roast beef sandwiches. When the food had all disappeared, they decided to take a walk closer to the stadium. Alec told them that was where the vendors usually set up shop, and it was decided shopping for merchandise and souvenirs would be in order.

Sirius was happy. It was weird.

Sometimes he would act happy and alert when really you could see the gloom hiding beneath the surface, but as they walked through the afternoon with the sun filtering through the trees, he looked downright chipper. Mia wondered if he'd taken another pepperup potion while she was gone. You couldn't exactly overdose on pepperup and once the smoke wore off, there weren't any clear side effects, but she also knew Sirius, and how he tended to crash as the evening approached.

He seemed to get along great with Mr. Adewumi, and the two of them had been fast friends. Mia and Gabe returned to the tent to see them preparing lunch together and trading stories about past world cups and their adventures. During lunch, and later as they walked through the campsites towards the vendors yelling prices and trying to catch people's attention, she couldn't see the gloom and darkens on the edges waiting to return. She didn't think it was a particularly good sign. Coming here to a sporting event, even his favorite event wouldn't bring about such a change.

They stopped by vendors selling merchandise for the different teams first. Gabe bought a sparkling shamrock hat that shot shamrocks out the top every few moments that burst into raining green and gold glitter, a large shamrock pin that kept changing to show different encouraging slogans like "Let's go!" and "You can do it!", and lastly he bought a big ridiculous chain of shamrocks that glowed and sparkled, and were to be worn in a huge bunch like a necklace. Mia shook her head at his purchase.

"You won't even be able to see with all that around your neck," she told him.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll be able to see just fine," he said with a wicked grin.

Mia just frowned at him and helped Sirius pick out a shirt with an obnoxious shamrock on it.

At dinner, the normal Sirius she was used to began to seep to the surface. He stopped laughing and chuckling to every joke, and his humor returned to its sardonic and sarcastic tone. As the sun set his eyes darted frequently to the windows and he stopped responding unless spoken to. When Mr. Adewumi excused himself to the bathroom, Sirius took the opportunity to retire to their room. Alec and Gabe said nothing, but instead, Alec fished a container of chocolate ice cream from the icebox and started dishing up bowls.

"Alec, could I ask you a professional question?" Mia asked as the man slid a spoon her way and tossed one to his brother.

The question seemed to catch him off guard but he nodded. "Ask away."

Mia poked her ice cream a few times with her spoon and took a deep breath. "The potion for dreamless sleep is said to react badly for people with extreme and prolonged trauma. Is there anything else they can try?"

Whatever Alec was expecting, that didn't seem to be it. His eyebrows went up at her question and he had to take a moment to deal with the spoonful of ice cream in his mouth. When he was done he gave Mia a long look that said he knew more than she wanted him to.

"He needs to see a proper healer," he said at last.

"He won't go. The Ministry offered, but..." Mia shook her head, she didn't know how to express the stubbornness and pride mixed with his anger at the ministry, and the fear she saw when Remus mentioned healers. "He won't go."

Alec nodded. "There is a potion, but the ingredients alone are expensive and complex. It's not the type of potion anyone but a potions master should attempt."

"That's not a problem for her," Gabe said. "She can brew anything she puts her mind to."

Alec looked at his brother for a moment and then grinned. "Right, I forgot your summer potions project."

He chuckled and Mia wondered what he meant. Did he mean the Animagus potion? Gabe had brewed it at Alec's apartment, but Mia thought he'd kept it a secret from his brother. Did his brother know they were both Animagi?

Alec pulled a chair out from the table and sat across from Mia and Gabe. "Right, so the problem is twofold." He ate a spoonful of ice cream before he continued. "There is trauma, and then there is what a dementor can do to you. It's deep. The deepest wounds a person can suffer. Put someone in that environment long term and they go mad. I have no clue how your dad didn't, but it shows he has a strong will and a strong mind."

Alec's warm brown eyes drilled into Mia. She wanted to say so much, how he struggled with the dark, how he never slept, how he drank too much, and how she too wanted to know what had possibly kept him sane, or if maybe he wasn't anymore. Maybe he was just good at pretending.

"Now, there is a potion, it's called the Ekrizdis potion. It will help to counteract the effects of the dementors toxins, but it won't remove dreams or memories, it just gives the patient a better chance at dealing with them. There is no instant cure for trauma, but time can help. Without the effects of the dementors, he will have a fighting chance to heal. When we get back I can copy out the recipe. If you have any questions on it we can meet up and talk."

"Thank you Alec," Mia said. She couldn't even say how much she appreciated it.

He grinned. "Anything for my baby brothers…" He glanced at Gabe. "Friend. Now eat your ice cream you two. They are doing fireworks down by the lake. Have you ever seen magical fireworks, Mia?"

Mia had not seen magical fireworks before, and the descriptions Gabe and Alec gave excited her. She wolfed down her ice cream as quickly as possible. When Mr. Adewumi returned Mia excused herself to check on Sirius and invited him to the fireworks. He was sitting on the bed, bent over with his face in his hands. He looked up at her, his eyes haunted when she opened the door.

"We're going to go to the fireworks. Do you want to come?"

He shook his head, a grim expression on his face. "Will you be ok if I-"

He gestured with his head towards the front of the tent, and Mia didn't need to ask what he meant.

"Of course I will be." She tried to smile. "Go home to Remus, he will be having a hard night with the full moon tomorrow night. I'll be totally safe here."

Sirius seemed to relax as though a weight was lifted off his back. "I will be back tomorrow morning bright and early, alright?" he asked.

Mia nodded and grabbed a jacket from her bed. "Get some rest," she said before closing the door behind her.

She told the three waiting Adewumi men that Sirius planned on calling it an early night, and they set off into the dark woods. She didn't want to show Sirius' weakness to them even knowing they wouldn't judge him for it. It just felt too personal.

The fireworks were amazing. Truly magical in the muggle and wizarding sense of the word. The fireworks took the shape of every creature imaginable, flying burning paths through the sky before exploding in a blaze of glitter and wonder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter, then the world cup. Hope you enjoy it!


	112. Get Festive

Mia awoke to a crack and jumped awake.

"Morning," Sirius said with a grin as he flopped onto his empty bed.

Mia sighed deeply and dropped back onto her pillow. "It's not morning yet," she said as she closed her eyes. The fireworks had burned long into the night and Mia could still see the sparks when she closed her eyes.

"What do you say we get started making breakfast for our hosts?"

Mia opened one eye and looked across the room to Sirius. He was laying on his side, his head resting on his hand watching her with a small smile. He wore a bright green shirt with a shimmering shamrock on the front. The shamrock kept letting off tiny explosions of green and gold.

"Not all of us have had pepperup potions for breakfast."

"I can change that," he said with a grin.

Mia let out a groan and rubbed her hands over her face. "Let me get dressed."

In the kitchen, Mia looked into the cupboards and then into the fridge to check their supplies. "I think Mr. Adewumi mentioned he was planning on pancakes this morning."

Mia emerged from the fridge with a carton of milk. Sirius was leaning against the kitchen island smiling at her. She wasn't quite sure why but decided to just go with it.

"How can I help?" Sirius asked.

Mia shrugged. If he really wanted to do this with her, she could put him to work. "Put eighteen ounces of flour into a big bowl," she said.

They actually had fun. Sirius followed her directions with a cheerful obedience that was bordering comical. He was terrible at cracking eggs and they laughed while they had to fish the shells out of the bowl by hand. Mia, of course, prevented him from using his wand as it would ruin the food. Sirius was shocked to learn magic would affect the flavor of food. It was clearly something more wizards needed to know.

As the smell of cooking sausage and bacon filled the tent, the first sleepy headed wizard emerged from a room. Mia tried not to stare at Gabe with his tee shirt tight against his chest and bunched along the waistband of his pajama pants as he made his way into the kitchen yawning.

"What are you two doing up so early?"

Sirius slapped Gabes back making him wince before he handed him a cup of tea. "Check again, my boy. Not exactly early."

Alec appeared a short time later in a similar state to Gabe and was offered his own tea. Mr. Adewumi appeared a few minutes later, clean shaven and neatly dressed.

"What is all this?" Mr. Adewumi asked.

"Just a thank you for a wonderful trip, my friend," Sirius said, offering Mr. Adewumi tea.

"It has been a joy having you both," he said, adding sugar to his tea.

Gabe and Alec woke up as they ate and were cheerful for the day ahead by the time their plates were cleared. Mia went to take a shower while they cleaned up. She dressed for the day in a green dress, her support for Ireland for the game.

Once Gabe was dressed in a cheery green jumper, they decided to take another stroll around the campsite. Alec joined them.

The excitement of the campers seemed to have tripled in the night. Where yesterday the campsites were filled with a low hum of anticipation, today each person they passed seemed to glow with the excitement for the coming event.

After dinner, they all parted ways to get ready for the evening. Mia retied her braids with green and gold ribbons. She thought it was a nice and festive touch with her green dress to show the team spirit she didn't really feel. She left the room and stopped when she entered the living room. Alec and Sirius were sitting next to each other on the couch, and Alec was drawing shamrocks with green paint on Sirius' cheeks. He wore a big green hat with a shamrock on it that expelled sparks in rhythm with the shamrock on his shirt. Alec's hair was now green on one side, and orange on the other, and he had gold and green shamrocks on his face.

Alec turned to Mia when she entered. "You want me to do yours next, Mia?" he asked holding up the facepaint.

"Um, no thanks," she said. She was festive enough.

Mr. Adewumi came out of his room wearing a glittering green and gold jumper. He had orange matching face paint spread under his eyes. "Are we ready?" he asked excitedly.

Gabe emerged from his room wearing an Ireland jersey and carrying his new merchandise. He had green and orange stripes painted on his cheeks, and he looked at Mia with a serious expression.

"What's wrong?" she asked. He looked really sad.

"Mia, will you do me a big favor? Like, the biggest favor of our friendship?" he asked. His eyebrows were close together and he looked at her with apprehension for her response.

The room was silent, she could tell Sirius, Alec, and Mr. Adewumi were all watching them.

"Of course Gabe, what do you need?" she asked.

"Do you mean it?" he asked sadly. He frowned. "Do you promise?"

"Yes Gabe, I promise. If you need something, I will do it," she said honestly.

"Great!" Gabe said. He held up the big shamrock button. "I need you to wear this stuff."

"No! Gabe!" She pulled away from him before he could pin it on her dress and he chased her.

"You promised, Stripe!"

"You did promise kid," Sirius said with a wicked grin.

Mia sighed. "But I will look ridiculous!" she complained.

"No you won't, you'll look like one of us," Gabe retorted.

"Fine," Mia said relenting. She crossed her arms and frowned at her best friend. She did promise, but she didn't have to be happy about it.

Gabe grinned and pinned the shamrock to her dress. Then he draped the ridiculous mess of shamrock chains over her head till they rested on her shoulders. He set the shamrock hat on her head, settling it with care.

"Perfect," Gabe said with a warm smile as he looked her over and met her eyes.

"Happy?" Mia asked. She couldn't help the smile that crossed her face as she stared into Gabe's warm copper eyes.

"Just needs the facepaint," he said with a grin.

That broke the spell that had been wrapping around her a moment before. "No! Absolutely not!" She darted away from the boy as fast as she could, but his long arms and legs and his superior reflexes from quidditch had her beat. He grabbed a paint stick from his brother and chased her around the room.

"It's payback for turning me scarlet and gold that one time!" he cried as he chased her.

When he caught her, he held her from behind with his arms wrapped around her chest in a big bearhug while Sirius drew on her face. "Hold still or they're gonna be crooked," he told her.

Understanding her defeat Mia slumped in Gabe's arms, resigned to her fate. When Sirius was done, he told her she was beautiful with a smile. Mia glared at him and then at Gabe. His cheeks glowing red, he crossed the room to his brother.

"Will you do my hair?" he asked Alec. His brother grabbed his wand and started charming Gabe's hair green and gold while Gabe told Sirius about the prank Mia played on him in their second year, turning him gold and scarlet for the Gryffindor quidditch match.

Sirius gave her an appreciative look and asked questions about their other pranks.

They left for the stadium as the sun was setting. Sirius downed another potion just before they went, and as they walked into the cooling evening air, his ears smoked. He looked around into the gloom as they walked, jumping when anyone new appeared in the trees and joined them on the lantern lined trail. Mia made up her mind and matched his pace before she linked her arm through his. He looked down at her startled, and she tried to smile reassuringly. He returned her smile and patted her arm. He seemed to calm a little as they crossed the forest.

People laughed and sang around them, the crowd was teeming with excited energy. When they reached the glaring lights of the stadium, it was nearly as bright as day, and Sirius relaxed. The noise was deafening, and the stadium was bigger than Mia could have imagined.

"Ooh, great seats!" The wizard at the entrance told them when Mr. Adewumi handed over their tickets. "Top box, all the way up."

Sirius' eyes bulged a little. "Top box?" he muttered. He leaned down to whisper in Mia's ear. "Who did he have to kill to get these?"

Mia laughed and shook her head. "Someone gave them to him trying to work out a trade deal or something."

"Hm, maybe I need to become a diplomat," Sirius said as they started climbing the purple carpeted stairs.

They moved in a mass of bodies, people breaking off on each floor for their seats. Mia kept trying to get a glimpse of the stadium through the entries. A hundred thousand witches and wizards were here right now, trying to find their seats, all brimming with excitement for the event. It was enough to make even her feel giddy.

They reached the top box at last, and Mia looked out over the stadium and gasped. The grass was a green velvet carpet and the seats were a sparkling mass of green and red. They were nearly eye level with the giant gold hoops at either end of the field. She felt excitement and peace flood over her at being so high.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you excited for the game? Think things will be a little different from the perspective of someone not super into quidditch? Tell me what you think.


	113. The Quidditch World Cup

"Harry, my boy!" Sirius called in front of her. She turned to look. The box was nearly full. In the front row sat Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George, and who Mia figured was the rest of Ron's family.

"Sirius!" Harry called as he jumped from his seat and climbed over the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, and another man. He hugged Sirius.

"How have you been?" Sirius asked. "Did you get my letter?"

"Sirius, wonderful to see you out and about," the Minister of Magic said to Sirius, standing from his seat and offering his hand.

Sirius looked at the man's hand, then looked him in the face, then turned back to Harry without a word.

Mia covered her mouth before a laugh escaped, Gabe doing something similar at her side. Mr. Adewumi and Alec had already made their way to their seats a few rows back, but stayed standing watching them as if to make sure everything went well.

Mia's eyes met with Fred and George's own shining eyes, and they gave her a nod. She smiled and nodded back. Then she looked at the row behind them. An empty seat and a house elf sat at the end with- her stomach dropped. Lucius Malfoy sat next to the elf with his son by his side, and Narcissa next to them. Lucius didn't seem to notice her, but Draco grinned.

"Nice team spirit, Black," he called. "Always knew you would look good in green."

She made a face at him but was prevented from saying anything rude when Narcissa saw her.

"Amelia!" Her aunt made her way to the isle and wrapped Mia in a big hug. "How are you, are you well? Are you safe?" she asked whispering into Mia's ear. She pulled away and held Mia at arm's length and examined her as if she could tell by looking at her.

Mia tried to smile reassuringly. "I'm great. Never better," she said truthfully.

Narcissa nodded then straightened, her posture going rigid. "Sirius," she said stiffly.

"Narcissa," Sirius said, as he put a hand on Mia's shoulder.

Narcissa frowned and returned to her seat as if nothing had happened. Mia hadn’t written her aunt recently, and maybe that was a mistake. She would need to remember and send her a letter when she got home. 

A man wearing a badly fit yellow and black striped quidditch jersey entered the box looking excited. "Everyone ready?" he asked. He looked at the minister. "Minister - ready to go?"

Gabe quickly led them to their seats. He slid in next to Alec and Mia sat next to him with Sirius sitting along the isle.

Mia saw the man in yellow and black raise his wand to his throat and say something. Then he started to speak, his voice now booming through the entire stadium, shining out over the roaring crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen. . . welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!"

Everyone screamed and cheered. Mia covered her ears out of reflex as Sirius and Gabe yelled at her sides. A large blackboard that previously showed an advertisement for candy cleared and was replaced by the score. Bulgaria: 0 Ireland: 0

"And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce. . . the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!"

"Cover your ears son," Mr. Adewumi shouted to Gabe over the roar. Gabe, as if knowing what was coming, covered his ears. Alec likewise covered his and Mia frowned, not sure if she should do the same.

She looked at Sirius who leaned forward to watch, a happy grin on his face. "Veela," he sighed happily.

Mia had heard of them before, but… she looked out onto the field. A hundred beautiful women glided onto the field. They were beautiful with white gold hair and shining skin. Music started and they began to sing. It was beautiful, but she didn't feel entranced. She looked at Gabe and saw him staring dopey eyed at the field as the veela danced. He started to lean forward before Alec put a hand on his shoulder snapping him out of it. Gabe shook his head and frowned, and put his hands tighter over his ears. His cheeks glowed red when he saw Mia looking at him. She decided to stop watching him and looked at Sirius. He seemed… at peace. That was odd. He had a small smile on his face, but other than that looked totally relaxed.

The music stopped and Gabe let out a deep sigh next to her. Yells filled the stadium, people screamed and yelled for the veela to come back.

"And now, kindly put your wands in the air. . . for the Irish National Team Mascots!" the speaker yelled.

A green and gold comet came flying out of the stadium and circled once before splitting into two smaller comets heading towards each end of the goalposts, and a rainbow spread across the stadium connecting them. Mia gasped. It was beautiful, even better than the fireworks the night before.

The balls of light reformed into one and created a shimmering shamrock. Gold rain fell from it as it circled the stadium, and as it passed overhead Mia realized gold coins rained down on them. She laughed as they bounced off her hat, and she looked up at the mass. "Leprechauns!" she yelled. She could just make out the individual figures of each tiny man carrying a lamp of green or gold.

The leprechauns split from the shamrock and sank to the field, lining one side opposite of the Veela.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, kindly welcome - the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! I give you - Dimitrov!"

A scarlet blur shot out of an entrance on the field and raced around for the screaming audience. More figures shot out over the field and the announcer screamed their names.

"Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Volkov! Aaaaaaand - Krum!"

Gabe let out a loud cheer at the last name.

"I thought you weren't cheering for them?" Mia asked yelling into his ear so he would hear.

"Not for Bulgaria, but their seeker, Krum, he's amazing!" Gabe yelled.

"And now, please greet - the Irish National Quidditch Team! Presenting - Connolly! Ryan! Troy! Mullet! Moran! Quigley! Aaaaaand - Lynch!"

Mia cheered along with her row as the seven green blurs joined the red ones.

"And here, all the way from Egypt, our referee, acclaimed Chairwizard of the International Association of Quidditch, Hassan Mostafa!"

A man in pure gold robes walked out on the field, he carried a crate in one arm and a broom under the other. He dropped the crate and mounted his broom before kicking the crate. The lid popped open and four balls flew into the air. Mia lost sight of the snitch almost immediately. The referee blew a loud whistle and flew into the air.

"Theeeeeeeey're OFF!" screamed the announcer. "And it's Mullet! Troy! Moran! Dimitrov! Back to Mullet! Troy! Levski! Moran!"

She tried for a second to follow the players then stopped and laughed. They were so fast, she couldn't believe it. No way could she keep track of the blurs well enough to know who had the ball. She couldn't see the individual movements, but she could see the overall effect. A few green blurs darted across the field, a small dark ball flying between them as they all rushed towards the huge gold rings.

"TROY SCORES! Ten zero to Ireland!"

The crowd roared and Mia just blinked letting her eyes relax. The leprechauns watching on the sidelines launched into the air making another giant shamrock. Within another ten minutes Ireland had scored twice more, and the only thing standing in their way were the Bulgarian beaters. They forced the Irish chasers apart and allowed one of the Bulgarian chasers to score.

Gabe covered his ears with a frantic motion, startling Mia, until she realized the veela started to dance and sing in celebration.

"Dimitrov! Levski! Dimitrov! Ivanova - oh I say!" the announcer gasped.

Mia saw two blurs, one red and one green plummet towards the ground. The seekers after the snitch? Mia wondered.

"They're going to crash!" she heard someone scream.

The voice was right. At the last second, the red blur pulled up and flew even with the ground before rising back to the sky, but the green blur kept going and collided with the earth with a dull thud Mia heard all the way in the top box.

Groans sounded around them. "Bloody hell, that was beautiful," Gabe said. Mia looked at him like he was crazy. He looked back at her like it was obvious. "That was the Wronski Feint. Krum was feinting. He just took out his rival seeker."

"It's time-out!" the announcer yelled, "as trained medi-wizards hurry onto the field to examine Aidan Lynch!"

"Why are you smiling? Isn't that bad?" Mia asked.

"Yeah, but it was wicked cool to see," Gabe said grinning. "He'll be ok."

"He should be dead!" Mia said.

"Na, the medi-wizards will patch him up."

Mia looked down on the field. The medi-wizards were pouring potions down the fallen seekers throat.

Hermione appeared next to them a moment later. She smiled at Mia then tapped Sirius on the shoulder. Sirius had been watching the air above them grinning at something and looked at the girl with confusion.

"Wanna switch seats for a little while?" she asked Sirius.

Sirius grinned and nodded, but then stopped and turned to Mia. Mia pushes down the jealousy she felt. Harry deserved time with him too. She nodded at Sirius. "Go," she said.

Sirius grinned and made his way to Hermione's seat next to Harry. Harry grinned and threw his arm around Sirius. Their faces lit with excitement as they watched the air.

Hermione and Gabe shared greetings. "Are you enjoying the game, Mia?" she asked.

Mia shrugged and grinned. "It's definitely better than house quidditch."

Hermione smiled. "That's not the best part either. Look." She handed her binoculars to Mia. She realized immediately that they weren't normal binoculars as they held a number of buttons and switches.

"It's all queued up. Press here to play at half speed, and here to stop and this is rewind."

Mia took the heavy binoculars and held them up, and was greeted with the face of a dark, and sallow-skinned man. He had a large curved nose and thick black eyebrows. He looked menacing and powerful. He was pointed down, flat against his broom. Mia pressed the play button and the man shot towards the earth, a man in green following close behind. This must be Krum. Mia knew how it would end, but her heart raced seeing the replay. Krum was a powerful bird of prey racing towards the earth, and then he wasn't. He leaned back, his robes stretching over the muscles of his chest, and his arms bulging with the effort as he righted his broom at the last moment and soared towards the binoculars. The recording followed him as he flew, a peaceful look on his face as if he was born for it. Then he grinned and shot towards the sky. His dark eyes darted all over the ground a hundred feet below as if looking for something. He was looking for the snitch while the opposing team's seeker got patched up. He didn't even seem to be on a broom, but looked weightless as he flew through the sky. The recording stopped and Mia dropped the binoculars. She looked at Hermione to see the girl smiling, a blush crept over her cheeks. Mia gave her a knowing look raising her eyebrows and Hermione giggled.

The game was more fun from that point on. Hermione frequently passed the binoculars to Mia for another closeup of the Bulgarian seeker.

After Ireland got a penalty Hermione tapped her sleeve and gestured towards the referee. The man was on the ground before the veela. He started flexing his muscles and smoothing his mustache excitedly as the veela danced.

"Now, we can't have that!" the announcer said sounding highly amused. "Somebody slap the referee!" Hermione and Mia giggled uncontrollably as a medi-wizard ran across the field and kicked the referee. He came to and looked embarrassed then started shouting at the veela.

"And unless I'm much mistaken, Mostafa is actually attempting to send off the Bulgarian team mascots!" said the announcer. "Now there's something we haven't seen before. . . Oh this could turn nasty…"

A few Bulgarian team members landed next to the referee and started arguing with him. The referee blew his whistle twice.

"Two penalties for Ireland!" shouted the announcer. The Bulgarian crowd howled with anger. "And Volkov and Vulchanov had better get back on those brooms… yes… there they go... and Troy takes the Quaffle…"

Things got worse. Beaters swung and didn't care if they hit balls or people. The Bulgarians drove an Irish player out of the air flying into her. They got another penalty and the leprechauns flew into the air and made a rude gesture to the veela. The veela turned. Their faces became sharp, cruel-beaked bird heads, and long, scaly wings burst from their shoulders. They launched themselves across the field and started throwing balls of fire at the leprechauns.

Ministry workers flooded onto the field trying to separate the veela and leprechauns, but didn't succeed. Above them the game continued with fierce energy. A beater hit Krum in the face with their bat and blood flew. The crowd gasped. Mia looked for the referee but saw his broom was on fire as he flew away from a group of veela.

"There they go!" Hermione yelled.

Mia looked and saw the green blur taking off to the side, with the bloody red blur following closely.

"They are going to crash!" Hermione yelled again. The green blur did crash, again, but the red one pulled away again and soared into the sky. "He has it!" she yelled. Krum, now moving slow enough to be seen rose slowly in the air. His fist high above him. Blood ran down his face.

The scoreboard started flashing BULGARIA: 160, IRELAND: 170. The crowd roared. Gabe was on his feet, his fist in the air yelling at the top of his lungs.

"IRELAND WINS!" the announcer yelled. "KRUM GETS THE SNITCH - BUT IRELAND WINS - good lord, I don't think any of us were expecting that!"

"He was very brave, wasn't he?" Hermione said dreamily as she leaned forward to watch Krum. A swarm of medi-wizards blasted a path through the battling leprechauns and veela to get to the Ireland seeker. "He looks a terrible mess."

"And as the Irish team performs a lap of honor, flanked by their mascots, the Quidditch World Cup itself is brought into the Top Box!" the announcer said.

Mia blinked as the box got very bright very suddenly. She looked towards the entrance to see two out of breath wizards carrying a huge golden cup. They handed it to the Minister who looked disgruntled for some reason.

"Let's have a really loud hand for the gallant losers - Bulgaria!"

The seven defeated Bulgarian players crowded into the top box and the announcer called out each name as they shook hands with the Minister. Krum was the last in line, and he looked horrible. Mia nudged Hermione who giggled and nudged her back.

Then came the Irish team, forcing the Bulgarian team partway up the steps. Krum stopped just near them and looked down as if to make sure he didn't bump into anyone. Hermione stiffened beside her and held her breath, but Mia wasn't sure the player could see them through his two black eyes.

The Irish seeker looked worse than Krum after his second fall. He looked dazed and was being supported by two of his team mates.

The Irish left the box amid the screams and cheers to do another victory lap, this time carrying the giant golden cup. It took ages for the box to empty and Mia said goodbye to Hermione as they parted ways. Mia again linked arms with Sirius as they walked through the darkness, following the lamps back to their camp. Sirius for his part kept his tone mild as he spouted off play by play moments with Gabe, Alec, and Mr. Adewumi.

People cheered and sang and lit bonfires all over the woods. They shot sparks into the air and let off fireworks. Without the excitement of the crowd and the bright lights, Mia started to come down from the adrenaline high, and was ready for bed when they reached the tent. She said goodnight to Sirius who quietly disapparated to spend the evening with werewolf Remus in his animagus form. She tucked herself into bed and slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think will happen next? Will they sleep safe and sound through the night?


	114. The Dark Mark

Mia awoke to pounding on her door. She was confused. She'd just fallen asleep. "Mia, Sirius! Wake up!" Mia jumped up and opened the door. "Grab a jacket and let's go," Gabe said, frantic.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know, dad says to grab a jacket and get outside."

Mia grabbed her jacked and slipped on her shoes. She raced for the living room still confused. She could hear yelling in the distance. Were people still celebrating? No, the screams were of fear.

"Mia, where's your dad?"

Mia looked up at Mr. Adewumi. He had his wand out and pushed Gabe and Alec towards the door with the other hand.

"He went home," she said.

He looked confused for a moment, but shook his head. "No time. Out," he said pushing her towards the door.

The screaming was louder outside. Bonfires were still lit everywhere, but no. They weren't just bonfires. The fire spread up one tree, and another tent was on fire. She could see people running between the trees.

"What's happening?"

Something was moving across the field towards them. There were flashes of green light, and sounds like gunfire. She could just make out a group of robed figures walking together, wands pointed in the air. Mia squinted. The robed figures all wore masks. Above them, people hung limp. A small figure was being spun like a top. Hands clutched to their face.

Mia couldn't breathe. It was so terrible. She could see the small figure thrashing in the air. Trying to fight against the bonds before it gave up and went limp again. How could anyone do something like this?

"Disgusting," Alec said.

Mr. Adewumi got in front of her and Gabe. "I'm going to help the Ministry. You need to run into the woods and hide, alright? Stay away from that mess. They're blowing up tents, but you'll be safe in the woods."

"I'm going too," Alec said. Mr. Adewumi nodded to his oldest son, then looked to Gabe and back to Mia. "Keep each other safe, ok? Use magic if you need to."

Mia felt for her wand in her jacket pocket and nodded. Gabe grabbed her hand and nodded to his dad before he pulled her in the opposite direction of the crowd.

They hurried for the treeline and made their way around the trunks. Mia tripped, but Gabe caught her. She sighed and pulled out her wand. "Lumos," she said. The tip of her wand lit and she cast the light low over the ground.

Their progress was still slow and the shouts and green light got closer behind them.

"This is stupid, let's change," Gabe suggested.

"Change into what? Party hats?"

Mia gasped and spun around. Draco leaned against a tree.

She took a few steps towards her cousin. "Why do you look so smug?" she asked. "Aren't you worried?"

"I doubt it," Gabe growled. "His dad is probably one of the guys in the masks."

Mia couldn't believe it. She looked at Draco, who was glaring at Gabe. When she thought about it for a moment, maybe Mia could believe it. Lucius wasn't a good man.

"Why are they doing this?" Mia asked.

"Just a reminder," Draco said smugly. "Remind everyone who's forgotten that they are still here, and to put the muggles in their place."

Mia's stomach turned. "Draco, do you really believe that? Do you really believe you are better than someone else just because you have magic? Just because of who you were born to? You are better than that Draco."

Draco looked down and didn't meet her eyes again. "Whatever. You're just the product of a blood traitor and mudblood."

"If you really think that Draco, look me in the eyes and say it," Mia said, icy anger flowing through her. She took a step towards her cousin, but he didn't meet her eyes.

Gabe grabbed her arm. "Let's get going," he said, pulling her gently. The green flashing lights were getting closer.

Mia followed Gabe deeper into the forest. They passed wide-eyed witches and wizards, and people calling frantically for their friends and family. After the fourth time Mia tripped, Gabe paused and pulled her between some particularly thick trees.

"Come on," Gabe whispered this time. "Let's change."

Mia nodded and closed her eyes. She reached for that place inside of her that lived for the sunlight on her fur and the soil under her paws. A moment later she opened her eyes and blinked. The night was much brighter to her tiger eyes.

Gabe bumped her shoulder with his snout. "Better?" he asked.

She just gave a cat grin and raced into the trees leaving Gabe to catch up. They ran through the woods and the fear and anxiety started to wash off of Mia. Eventually, they came to a stop, and bunkered down, huddled together in the shadow of a large tree to wait out the chaos. Mia almost dozed off when a bright green light filled the sky and she saw a skull formed of dazzling green spots of light. A long green serpent crept out of the mouth, and crawled through the sky. Mia didn't know what it was, but it sent a pulse of fear down her spine.

"What is it?" she asked Gabe.

"I think…" He trailed off, the green light reflecting in his eyes. "I think it's the dark mark. "You-know-who's symbol."

Mia snuggled closer to the large wolf, and they stayed hidden for a time longer until the woods had grown silent around them. The green mark continued to glow in the air.

When everything was quiet, they decided to leave their hiding place and make their way back to the campsite. Tents still burned and people wandered calling out for friends and family. When they reached the still glowing walkway, lit by lamps, they changed back behind a large tent and continued towards their campsite. Alec stood in front of the tent hands on his hips looking worried. When he saw them he sagged with relief.

"Good, I'll tell dad." He raised his wand and a silver mist rushed out of the tip and into the darkness. "Go pack up, dad wants to get out of here as soon as possible."

Mia went into the tent and packed her things back into her backpack. Gabe appeared with his bag just as she was swinging her's onto her shoulder. They made their way back outside just as Mr. Adewumi appeared. Relief broke out on his face at the sight of them.

"Good, let's get going."

Alec waved his wand and the tent folded its self up and stored its self in a bag. Alec picked it up and threw it over a shoulder.

"Mia, your dad, what happened exactly?" Mr. Adewumi asked.

Mia winced. She'd hoped they forgot to ask. "He doesn't sleep well," she said.

Understanding flashed in Mr. Adewumi's eyes. "Of course. Let's get going."

"Dad, did they catch any of them?" Gabe asked.

Mr. Adewumi frowned. "No, as soon as they saw their masters sign the cowards all took off."

"So they really were death eaters?" Mia asked.

Mr. Adewumi didn't say anything but led the way to the field where they had arrived.

There was a long line of worried half dressed people waiting to get a portkey home. Mr. Adewumi left them in line and went to the front of the queue. He returned a moment later and gestured them forward. A ministry worker cast a spell over an old shoe and handed it to Mr. Adewumi with a nod. Being a diplomat did have perks.

Alec, Gabe and Mia all grabbed part of the shoe and a few moments later Mia felt a hook grab her behind her belly button and pull her through the air. It was just as terrible this time, except the exhaustion and adrenaline made the ride that much worse. When they landed, Mia reached out and put her hand against the trunk of a tree to keep from falling. After she was sure she wouldn't puke, she helped Gabe stand, and they all made their way slowly back to his house.

Mrs. Adewumi woke when they arrived, her face worried. Mr. Adewumi told her what happened while Alec sunk into the couch, and almost immediately fell asleep.

"Mia, do you want to stay here for the night?" she asked kindly.

Mia sighed. "I think I just want to be home," she said. She was exhausted and just wanted to curl up on her bed.

Mrs. Adewumi nodded. "We'll have to plan dinner then one of these nights", she said kindly. "Let me get you the floo powder."

"You'll be ok?" Gabe asked.

"Yeah, this way Sirius won't have to apparate all over the country looking for me."

Gabe grinned at the thought.

Mrs. Adewumi returned with the Floo powder and Mia took a pinch. "Thanks again, for everything," she said to the Adewumi's before she threw the powder into the fire and said the name of her home.

The green flames were a warm comforting embrace as she spun and spun. When she came to a stop she took a step and almost stepped on two dark figures huddled on the thick carpet in front of the fire. A large black dog, and a werewolf blinked up at her.

The dog let out a soft wuff.

Mia sighed. "I don't want to talk about it." She stepped around the two bodies and threw her bag onto the couch. Then she reached inside of herself again for the other part of her, and slipped between the dog and the werewolf joining their pile on the floor with an intimacy she could never manage as a human. The werewolf whined. Mia butted her soft tiger head against his neck until he stopped and relaxed against her side. They both knew with the wolfsbane potion he wouldn't hurt her, and as she was an animagus, he couldn't infect her even by accident. Knowing that, Remus had still refused when Mia suggested keeping him company over the summer. Mia thought it was something about his pride, and hadn't pressed the issue. But they couldn't complain tonight. Mia relaxed against the warm fuzzy bodies at her sides and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DOG/wolf/tiger PILE! Sounds like an excellent way to sleep to me.


	115. Snooping

Mia awoke the next morning, feeling warm and safe. She wasn't sure at first why feeling safe felt important, and then the horrors of the night before came back to her. She covered her eyes with her paws and tried to forget the images of the small figure being strung along by the death eaters.

She remembered where she was and noticed the lack of warm bodies by her sides. The places where Sirius and Remus had laid were still warm. Sirius must have woken up and helped his friend to his room to sleep off the effects of the full moon. She sighed. She felt guilty thinking about Remus and his affliction. She wanted so badly to help him.

She should go shower and make breakfast. It would make her feel better.

She reached for the part of her that was pink and fur free. When she was human again she grabbed her bag from the couch and trudged up the stairs to the hot shower.

A letter was waiting for her on the kitchen table when she got up to make tea. She had brought her and Gabe's message book downstairs with her so she could write to him and see how he was, but she set it aside to read the letter. Apparently, Alec hadn't been able to sleep the night before, as he'd already written out the instructions for the Ekrizdis potion for her, along with an offer of any help should she need it.

She smiled. The wizard was kind, like his brother, and she appreciated the help, even if she didn't think she would need it. The potion was complex but much less so than the wolfsbane potion. There were a few more ingredients she would need. Maybe she could get them when she went to Diagon Alley for her school supplies.

Mia opened her message book and turned to a fresh page.

 _Sleep well?_ She wrote.

He would reply when he saw it, and would tell her any news he had heard from the world cup. She closed the book and started making eggs and sausage for her and Sirius. Remus would likely sleep till noon.

When the sausage was finished, Mia got the pan ready for some eggs, and heard a soft humming. She set the pan aside and opened her message book and read Gabes message.

 _Not long enough, but better than expected. How about you? Dad left early this morning for the ministry to see how he could help after the mess of last night. Alec went back to his flat shortly after you left. My mum has been worrying over the Prophet_ _all morning. They did an article about the stuff last night and she thinks we downplayed the danger, so now she's_ _mad and anxious over what could have happened._

_What are your plans for the day?_

Mia picked up her quill to respond.

_I slept ok._

She thought about telling him about the dogpile she had joined the night before, but writing it down felt weird, like it was too personal of a moment. It was easier to be close with people when none of you were human, she didn't need to think how to address Sirius, she just cuddled against him safe and warm.

_I'm making breakfast now, but was thinking about going to Diagon Alley later. I need more potions ingredients and need to get my Hogwarts things._

Gabe's reply was quick.

_Can I come? I still need to get my stuff too. My robes are a few inches too short._

Mia laughed to herself.

_Of course, they are. Let's go around noon if that works for you._

Gabe's reply was short.

_See you then!_

She closed the book and returned to making eggs. She was putting toast on a tray when Sirius thumped into the kitchen. She set a big plate of food in front of him and made tea. He grunted in thanks and started devouring his food.

After the food was gone and he had taken a long drink of his tea, he sighed peacefully and looked at Mia. He frowned as if remembering something.

"Why did you come home early? Did something happen?" he asked. His face grew more suspicious. "Did something happen with the boy?"

Mia sighed and put down her toast. "No, nothing like that. Again, Gabe and I are just friends." Sirius rolled his eyes, but she continued. "But something did happen. Apparently, it's in the Prophet today. We woke up, there was screaming and yelling. A group of robed wizards with masks had captured a few muggles and had strung them up in the air and were marching them around, setting off spells to scare people. They set tents on fire and trashed the place. Alec and Mr. Adewumi went to help the ministry and told me and Gabe to hide in the woods. We transformed and found a safe place to hide till it was over. But at the end, someone cast a spell into the sky. Gabe thinks it was you-know-who's mark. Things seemed to break up after that. Mr. Adewumi said all the death eaters fled when the mark appeared."

As she talked, Sirius's face grew grimmer and grimmer. "Did you get hurt? Are you Ok?" he asked.

"I'm fine. Parts of it were scary, but I was never in any danger really. We saw Draco. He all but said his dad was one of the men in masks."

Sirius shook his head. "I have no doubt."

He grabbed the rolled Prophet from the table and opened it. Mia saw the picture on the front of the paper. It was the skull shining in the night sky with the serpent growing out of the mouth. Mia shuddered and gathered up their plates, taking them to the sink.

"Is it ok if Gabe and I go to Diagon Alley around noon so we can get our Hogwarts supplies?" she asked as she cleared the dishes.

Sirius dropped the paper and looked at her. "Will you be safe?" he asked.

Mia smiled. "Always."

Sirius agreed and took his tea into the living room while he finished reading the paper. After cleaning up, Mia went into her basement lab and took stock of her shelves. She would need to pack up nearly everything to bring with her to Hogwarts. It would be an annoying task, but necessary. She made a list of everything she would need for the Ekrizdis potion and started packing up the extra supplies she would need for making the wolfsbane potion once she was back at school.

She didn't look forward to sneaking around the room of requirement all term, and wondered if there was a way she could make it with approval from her teachers. Snape would never let her use his lab after the anger he'd shown the year before with Sirius being freed. But maybe she could ask Madam Pomfrey if she could use her space. If the Ekrizdis potion worked, she could send that and the wolfsbane potion home each month. Maybe McGonagall would help arrange it.

When it was close to noon, Mia left her lab and went back into the kitchen. A brown owl flew through the table and dropped a letter.

"There's an owl," Mia called. She took the letter from the bird and thanked him. He gave a wing shrug before taking off. Mia read the name on the front.

_Remus._

She took the letter into the living room, suppressing a small grin. "Letter for Remus," she said to Sirius.

Sirius sat up, his eyes wide and a grin spreading on his own face. "Who's it from?"

"I don't know, same as the others."

Sirius stood and took the letter from her and looked at the name. "It would be very bad to open it. Morally wrong you understand?" he said seriously to her.

Mia nodded. "I know."

"Well, as long as you really know how wrong it is. That's the important thing. Knowing the difference between right and wrong so you can then make an executive decision." Sirius ripped open the flap on the envelope.

Mia grinned.

Sirius grinned back. He looked at the paper and seemed to read a few lines, then frowned.

"What does it say?" Mia asked.

"Nothing. Just sounds like a discussion about a book." He read on. "He read the last one of these eight times. I don't understand, this all sounds boring. Oh, here we go." His eyes widened, then he squinted.

"What does it say!?"

"Shhhh! You don't want to wake him."

Mia reached for the letter. "Let me read it. I'm better at subtext than you are."

Sirius moved away from her holding the letter higher. "What makes you think that?" he asked sounding offended.

"Just let me read it," she whined.

"I don't know if it would be right. This is his letter. Little girls really shouldn't read their godfather's mail."

Just then the fire roared to life with emerald green flames. Mia and Sirius both jumped and Sirius hid the letter behind his back. Gabe walked into the room and stopped. He stared at them as if confused.

"What happened?" Gabe asked.

"Nothing," they both said at the same time.

Gabe raised one of his eyebrows then grinned. "What are you two doing?"

"Nothing!" they both said again.

"You know you have identical expressions right now right?"

Mia turned to look at Sirius at the same moment he looked at her. They were both standing there, she was slightly in front of him to help shield what he hid.

Sirius grinned wide at his daughter. "You do come by it honestly."

Mia pushed away the warmth spreading in her chest and into her cheeks. "Let me read it!" She made a grab behind his back but he was too fast and lifted it over her head again. She only tried jumping once. She didn't want to look like a moron.

"Is that one of the letters?" Gabe asked, his eyes lighting up.

"Yeah, he opened it after giving me the parental speech on why it was wrong."

"What does it say?" Gabe asked walking across the room.

"Nothing, it's just them talking about books," Sirius said, looking at the paper again.

"I knew it. I bet he's flirting," Gabe said, trying to read the paper in Sirius' hands.

"You can't flirt with books," Sirius said tipping the paper away from Gabe.

"You can definitely flirt with books," Gabe said in a dry voice.

Sirius froze and glared at Gabe. "I'm watching you."

Mia grabbed the paper out of his hand. "Who's it from?" she asked.

She flipped over the small stack of paper and unfolded them looking at the signature.

_Yours,_

_Tonks_

Mias's eyes widened and Sirius took the papers back from her hands looking at the signature. His eyes widened too.

"Who is it?"

"Tonks," Mia whispered.

"Aw, totally flirting. Called it!" Gabe said, triumphantly.

Mia shook her head and turned back to Sirius. "Are you going to let me read it?" she asked.

"Nope," Sirius said, now reading the second page of the letter, a small grin on his face. He looked up at them. "Aren't you two going to Diagon Alley for supplies?"

Mia sighed. "I need to get more potions ingredients as well."

"More? Don't you have enough as it is? Why could you ever need more?"

"The wolfsbane potion isn't cheap to make," she said. It wasn't the whole answer, but it had the desired effect. Sirius looked guilty and nodded to her.

"Get whatever you need, love."

Mia nodded and repressed the guilt. She was doing more than making the wolfsbane potion, but she didn't know if he would agree if he knew what all she was really up to.

She grabbed a jacket, her potions ingredients and school supplies list, and followed Gabe, taking the Floo to the Leaky Cauldron.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fluff! Hope you enjoy.


	116. The end of summer

With less than a week to go till the first day of term, Diagon Alley was full of last minute shoppers frantically trying to secure everything they needed.

They started with robes. Mia and Gabe both needed to be refitted for new robes, and their school supplies list said they also needed dress robes. Gabe informed her he had a set that fit him he had to wear for an award his mother had won over the summer. Gabe tried to explain they were for special occasions, but Mia couldn't really picture it till he pointed out a set in the window of a shop. She thought the mens robes looked ok, but the womens robes didn't look like something Mia wanted to wear. They were hanging baggy and frumpy from the mannequin. When she asked the shop clerk about the options available, another witch a few years older than Mia, came over shaking her head.

"No dear, you don't want to get those here. You can send for a catalogue from Twilfitt and Tattings. Their Paris branch has the best robes and you can owl order everything." She looked over her shoulder at a wrack of gerish robes in the corner. "You don't want to wear anything you can find here. Trust me."

Mia frowned but thanked the woman. Maybe she would wait till they were at Hogwarts and she could see what her housemates had. If she needed something quickly, she could always sneak into Hogsmeade. She shivered at the thought of wearing the pea green polyester robes in the window.

Once they had their robes Mia looked over the other clothes sold in the shop, but shook her head. "Gabe, do you know where I can get normal clothes? I need new trousers and socks and things."

"There's a shop we go to on the east end."

Gabe led Mia through a part of Diagon Alley she hadn't been to before and she asked him to wait for her in a bookshop while she went in to buy clothes she was in desperate need of. She hadn't had new underthings in some time, and didn't want to buy them with an audience.

They went about their day and bought everything they needed. Books, quills, ink, potions ingredients.

They stopped for ice cream before returning to the Leaky Cauldron to floo home.

Mia asked Sirius if he wanted to order takeout from the diner in the village, and he agreed and invited Gabe to join. Gabe agreed. Since it was still early he decided to join Mia in her basement lab while she worked on the Ekrizdis potion. They laughed and joked as they always did, but Mia had an edge of tension about her as she worked on the potion. She wanted it to be a success.

As she turned off the flame, the potion turned a rich chocolaty brown and she sighed with relief.

"Did it work?" Gabe asked.

"I won't know till he takes it. But I did it right at least."

"How can you tell if you get a potion right before it's tested?" Gabe asked.

"The ingredients work together in a predictable way. You add one ingredient and it turns yellow, you stir a specific number of times and it turns red. If you know how it should turn out, then you know when you get it right. It's all magical reactions. They are complex, but predictable." Mia pulled a blue bottle off of a shelf and carefully funneled the still warm potion into it. When it was full she corked the bottle and cleaned the cauldron. She smiled softly at Gabe. "Let's hope it works."

Remus appeared, tired and pale, when they sat down for dinner. They told him about the events of the world cup, including the not so wonderful ending. His eyes lit just a little when Mia told him he had mail, and handed over the letter. It was perfectly sealed just as it had been when it arrived. Mia, Gabe and Sirius exchanged looks.

After they ate, Gabe said his goodbyes and headed home to unpack his shopping, and Remus returned to bed.

Mia followed Sirius into the kitchen as it got dark. He reached for the firewhiskey on top of the fridge and pulled it down. Mia took it from his hand before he could unscrew the lid.

"Woah there. I may be the poster child for bad choices, but I think fourteen is a little young for firewhiskey." Sirius said, a dark look in his hollow eyes.

"Do you trust me?" Mia asked.

Sirius scoffed. "Do you trust me?" he asked. Mia winced. "That's what I thought," he said, reaching for the whiskey.

Mia pulled it out of his reach and set it on the table. She held the slim blue bottle out to him. "One sip when it gets dark out. Two in the winter."

Sirius took the bottle from her and examined it closely. "Dreamless sleep potions don't work for me."

"That's not what this is."

Sirius uncorked the bottle and took a sniff. He shrugged and took a sip. His eyes widened when he swallowed. "Chocolate? Where did you find the recipe for this?"

It was Mia's turn to shrug.

"Experimenting on me now are you?"

"Maybe," Mia said. She didn't think he would approve knowing she'd asked Alec about him. Sirius let out a laugh. "Mixing this with alcohol will make you incredibly sick," she said seriously.

"Yes, Healer Black," he said with a salute.

Mia sighed again. "Just try it for tonight, okay? If it doesn't work you can go back to your old method," she said, glancing at the whiskey.

Sirius' eyes softened and he nodded. "Thanks kid."

Mia nodded and turned towards the stairs. She hoped he listened to her, and she hoped the potion worked, but she wouldn't know for sure unless he listened and didn't drink.

The next morning Mia woke and made breakfast. Remus joined her a short time later and devoured the first of the sausage as it made it to the plate. Sirius joined after that, and both Mia and Remus were surprised to see him so awake and so alert. His eyes were bright, and he looked alive. He seemed just as surprised as they did as he sat down and loaded his plate with sausage and eggs. Mia was debating if it was her potion that had worked, or if Sirius had just taken a pepperup potion before coming down stairs. When he saw her looking, he winked, a grin on his face before he took a bite of his eggs.

Mia smiled and took a bite of her toast. The bottle she had given him would last him a month, and she could order ingredients to Hogwarts so she could keep him in stock like she planned with Remus' potion.

The last few days of the summer break Mia saw a huge shift in Sirius' person. His skin no longer looked pale and drawn, and the dark circles under his eyes didn't return with the night. During the day he seemed more at peace, less hyped up from the pepperup potion before the inevitable crash.

If Remus noticed a change he didn't say anything to Mia.

As the weekend approached, Mia started to feel a pain in her chest when she thought of leaving these two. She had started to grow comfortable in Sirius' presence, and she even enjoyed his company when they joked or ganged up on Remus. Somehow, without Mia realizing it, these two men had become her family, and she was sad to leave them.

Alec had taken a few pictures at the world cup, and gave copies to Mia and Sirius. They were wonderful. Sirius and Mia wearing their Ireland colors and waving little flags. Gabe chasing Mia though the frame with face paint, and Mia grabbing the paint stick and throwing it off the frame. Mia and Gabe with fireworks flashing in the background.

Mia asked Gabe if she could borrow the camera before term started, and she used it to document her last day with Remus and Sirius.

She woke up early on the first of September and took a long warm shower. Her trunk was packed, and Remus had added a feather light spell to make it bearable to move. She got dressed in the clothes she had set out the night before and looked around her room one last time. Her shamrock hat necklace and button sat on top of her wardrobe, and an old dry rose from her second year sat in a little vase on her vanity. She picked up a small stack of pictures, one of her, Remus and Sirius, arm in arm and smiling bright was on top.

She smiled before she stuck them into the pages of her message book and tucked it into her trunk.

She looked up at the ceiling of her room, the sun just beginning to rise, and felt a pang of longing in her chest. Her mother must have been amazing to create something so wonderful. She wished she could have known her.

In her own library, she gave a final look over her books. She had everything she thought would be helpful with her secret project, but it felt strange to leave them behind. They had been her first friends at Hogwarts.

Finally she carried her trunk downstairs and ate a quick breakfast with Remus and Sirius. The men tried to look excited for the start of her term, but she knew them better now and could see the sadness standing out on the edges of their faces.

They took the floo to the Leaky Cauldron, and then took a muggle taxi to Kings Cross. On platform of 9 ¾ with the scarlet steam engine shining behind them, Mia wrapped her hands tightly in her shirt hem.

She wouldn't cry.

"Well, I guess this is it kid," Sirius said, a big fake smile on his face. "We will see you over Christmas, yes?"

Mia nodded.

"Try not to break too many rules this year, will you?" Remus asked. He gave her a big hug, and she held him tight. "And write often."

He stepped back and Mia looked at Sirius.

"And if you do break rules, make sure you don't get caught," he said with another grin. The grin started to turn down at the edges and Sirius leaned in slowly as if not sure she would accept a hug. She did and squeezed him back as hard as she could. "Thank you for everything kid. I will miss you something fierce," he whispered in her ear before breaking the hug and wiping at his eyes.

Mia nodded, not sure what to say. She grabbed her trunk, but she couldn't meet the eyes of either man. "I miss you both already," she said, her voice almost breaking as she turned and carried her trunk up the train. She looked back just once to see the two men standing there, their hands in their pockets watching her with identical red eyes. She waved and stepped through the door as tears filled her eyes.

She found an empty compartment and grabbed her message book before she stored her trunk in the racks. She let out a shaky breath and wrote the compartment number she was in so Gabe could find her. The pictures she had taken fell out of the book and landed in her lap. She looked over the smiling faces of her family and let the tears fall for just a moment before she brushed them away and tucked the pictures back safe in her book.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And a tear filled start to year four. What are you most excited to see from a different perspective this year?


	117. Home

By the time Gabe slid open the door and dragged in his trunk, Mia's eyes were dry and her face had lost any redness. Gabe's excitement started to infect her, she was smiling and laughing before the train was full. Gabe stood when the compartment door slid open and greeted Roger Davis and Jason Samuels with high fives and half hugs. When he sat, he took the spot next to Mia, letting the two boys sit across from them. They spent a few hours talking about the Quidditch world cup, Davis had gone, but Samuels had not, and the boys looked onto Mia with awe when Gabe told them how she and Hermione had even been splattered by a bit of Victor Krum's blood in the top box.

The compartment door continually opened and closed as students came in and out to greet Gabe and Mia. Mia was surprised so many students were treating her as if they had always been friends. A part of her wanted to hold a grudge against the ones who had treated her poorly, but she let it go. She would never be good friends with these people, but she was tired of living on edge and just wanted to relax into the comfortable amenity.

As the windows grew dark, they all donned their school robes, and anticipation built in Mia's chest. She was going back to Hogwarts. The first place she had ever felt safe, or seen as her home. It hadn't been perfect, but it had welcomed her and shared some of its secrets. She couldn't wait to see what the castle had in store for them in the coming year.

Thunder roared in the sky, and a heavy cold rain started to fall as they exited the train and moved through the Hogwarts gates towards the carriages. Gabe leaned in towards Mia through the downpour. "Are they still there?" he whispered as he gestured towards the carriages.

Mia laughed to herself. "Of course they are. They're always there," she said, looking at the black bat like thestrals, batting their wings playfully in the rain.

Gabe crossed to the first empty carriage they could find and stopped in front. He straightened his posture and stood stiffly in front of the step and held out a hand. "My lady," he said formally, rain dripping down his face.

Mia rolled her eyes and put her hand in his. As she stepped up into the carriage he braced her, then climbed in after her.

Laughter rang out behind them, it wasn't the nice kind of laughter and Mia flinched on instinct. She turned to see who was laughing at her, but it wasn't her being laughed at. A cart back a short blond figure was petting a thestral and three older girls were laughing at her.

Mia frowned and reached into her memory for the name.

"Hey, Luna!" Mia called through the rain. The blond girl flinched and turned to look at Mia with her pale silvery eyes. "Come join us in our carriage."

Luna smiled and walked past the laughing girls as if they never existed. Mia had forgotten about the girl she had met in the hospital wing the year before, who she had promised to be friends with. She knew it wasn't easy when the world was turned against you, and Luna didn't even have the benefit of people being too afraid to bully her.

"Luna, you know Gabe right? He's a fourth year like me."

As the thestrals started their walk towards the castle, Gabe turned in his seat to greet Luna in the back.

"You didn't laugh when my shoes wound up in the fireplace last term," Luna said in a very matter of fact voice.

"No, I didn't." Gabe frowned and Mia decided to question him about it later. Maybe they could work together to teach some bullies some lessons this year.

"I can see them too Luna, you aren't alone," Mia said. She wouldn't pet the thestrals in front of people like Luna did, but she didn't blame the girl for being herself despite how others would treat her.

Luna smiled and looked over Mia to the thestrals pulling the carriage. "Their ghastly creatures, and quite wonderful. Who did you see die?"

"I don't know."

It was one of the many questions she hadn't asked Sirius over the summer. There had been so many things that were left unsaid between them. Maybe she would make a list of her questions, and she could ask him over owl mail. That would be easier.

Mia thought about addressing a letter to Sirius, how would she address it when she couldn't even address him in person? She pushed away the thoughts and leaned back in her chair to look up at the castle as they came around the trees. It was just the same as it had always been, but somehow seemed so much more after her first time away, as if the castle glowed with its own excitement as its people came home.

They left the cart, Gabe helping down both Mia and Luna, and each gave the thestrals a pat before joining the flood of students heading up the stone steps of the castle. The entrance hall was more wet than it should have been from just the foot traffic. Mia saw bits of red balloon scattered on the floor, and on the edges of wet paintings. Professor McGonagall stood by the entrance to the great hall looking irritated. She smiled when her eyes met Mia. Mia ran to her, and the professor leaned down and wrapped Mia in a hug, not even flinching at the water covering her.

"I missed you, child," she said, in a voice a little lighter and higher than was typical. Mia pretended not to notice as McGonagall wiped something off of her face when they separated. "You will have to come around for tea this term so I can make sure you are still holding yourself to appropriate academic standards," she said, her voice again formal and stiff.

"You couldn't keep me away," she told her teacher before joining Gabe and entering into the great hall lit in all its splendor. Gabe waved as he headed to his table, and Mia turned to her own long house table. Something turned in her stomach with dread as she looked for a place to sit. Her stomach settled and something bubbled in her chest as she saw Hermione waving her over, gesturing to the seat between her and Fred. Mia sat between them, and smiled to George across from her.

"How goes it, Black?" George asked. And with that, Mia officially felt like she really was home, even as a small part of her twinged with guilt at the thought of two men eating bad food alone in a big empty house without her.

She laughed and joked with the twins who told Mia about the water balloon incident Peeves had started in the entrance hall. A third year, Colin Creevey, who everyone thought Mia had petrified her second year, came around to talk excitedly to Harry about his brother, a new incoming first year. When he spotted Mia his eyes lit up.

"Oh, Amelia! I almost forgot. I got a lot of my film developed over the summer and have some pictures you may want. They are in my trunk, but I can get them to you tomorrow!"

This took Mia off guard and she only nodded awkwardly as the boy bounded away to find a seat. She still wasn't used to her schoolmates not fearing the ground she walked on. It was weird. She realized then that the kids who walked past smiling and waving to them made eye contact with Mia right along with Hermione and the others, as though they were greeting her the same.

This would take some getting used to.

They all shushed as McGonagall opened the large wooden doors and brought in a group of frightened looking children. Mia didn't remember being so small her first year, but watched the sorting with a smile, clapping and cheering along with the rest of her house as the new kids were sorted. When Colin's brother was sorted into Gryffindor and crossed the room to their table, he loudly whispered to his brother. "Colin, I fell in! It was brilliant! And something in the water grabbed me and pushed me back in the boat!"

Mia shook her head chuckling as the older brother loudly and awkwardly pointed out Harry to the new Gryffindor.

Professor Dumbledore told them all to tuck in, and Mia gladly did just that as the plates in front of her filled with an amazing feast. While they ate, The twins told Mia in hushed voices about a few of their summer projects, and a few mishaps they hoped she could help tweak. The thunder rolling outside was a peaceful backdrop to the chaos and excitement of the students.

Hermione talked with Nearly Headless Nick about house elves. Mia barely listened until she realized Hermione had stopped eating, refusing another bite made by slave labor.

"Hermione, the elves take pride in their service, they would be really upset knowing you didn't eat their food, especially if they knew they were the cause," Mia told her.

"And how do you know?" Hermione asked, her arms crossed.

"Because I know a few of them. Look, I can introduce you to one later ok? You can ask them for yourself."

Hermione didn't say anything, just looked down at her plate with longing, then shook her head stubbornly again. Mia gave up as Ron started trying to tempt Hermione with the food on the table.

When the food cleared from the tables, Dumbledore stood and began his start of term speech, listing the out of bound areas, and the banned items. All usual orders of business. He continued.

"It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year," Dumbledore said.

"What?" Harry gasped.

Cries of outrage rang out around the room. Mia saw Gabe across the room staring at the professor with his mouth hanging open. He looked absolutely crushed. Fred and George started saying something about a revolt, but Dumbledore continued.

"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts–"

Just then there was a particularly loud roar of thunder and the doors to the great hall burst open. A man entered. He was covered head to toe in a long dark cloak and something loomed from him like a cloud of danger that prevented Mia from looking away. When the light caught his face she could see he was badly scarred. He had a large chunk taken from his nose, and one eye was small and normal while the other was a large glass blue eye that protruded from his head and spun around in every direction. It made Mia feel sick to watch. He crossed the room, a thump on every other step and reached out a hand to Dumbledore who shook it, and gestures for the man to sit beside him.

The man picked up a fork and stabbed a sausage before lifting it to his nose and sniffing.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Dumbledore said brightly as the school looked on in horror. "Professor Moody."

"Moody?" Harry asked quietly to Ron. "Mad-Eye Moody? The one your dad went to help this morning?"

"Must be," Ron said softly.

"What happened to him?" Hermione whispered. "What happened to his face?"

"Dunno."

"As I was saying," Dumbledore continued, smiling out to the students watching the new professor eat with awe or disgust. "We are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

"You're JOKING!" Fred said loudly.

Mia laughed along with the rest of the school. It was as though the laughter broke the spell the new professor had caused.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore chuckled. "Though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar..."

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly.

"Er– but maybe this is not the time... no... Where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament... well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely.

"The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued."

"Death toll?" Hermione whispered.

Mia chuckled. It sounded cool.

"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament," Dumbledore continued. "None of which has been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger.

"The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."

"I'm going for it!" Fred hissed. His face was glowing with excitement. It was catching. Mia didn't think she would do well in a competition like that, but still, a part of her buzzed at the idea.

"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts, the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age, that is to say, seventeen years or older, will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This–"

People started making loud noises of disgust and Dumbledore raised his voice slightly

"is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion. " Dumbledore glanced towards Mia's section of the room and Fred and George glared right back. Their eyes were lit with anger. "I, therefore, beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen. The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

Dumbledore sat down and turned to the new professor. Students started to stand and file out, but George slammed a fist on the table stopping Mia.

"They can't do that!" George said. "We're seventeen in April, why can't we have a shot?"

"They're not stopping me entering," Fred said, glaring at Dumbledore still. "The champions'll get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never be allowed to do normally. And a thousand Galleons prize money!"

"Yeah, a thousand Galleons..." Ron looked love struck with the idea.

Gabe slipped into the empty spot next to George, his eyes brimming with excitement. "Who do you think this impartial judge will be?" Gabe asked.

"Come on, we'll be the only ones left here if you don't move," Hermione said.

They all stood and started walking towards the staircase.

"Dunno, but it's them we'll have to fool. I reckon a couple of drops of Aging Potion might do it, George... "

"Dumbledore knows you're not of age, though," said Ron.

"Yeah, but he's not the one who decides who the champion is, is he? Sounds to me like once this judge knows who wants to enter, he'll choose the best from each school and never mind how old they are. Dumbledore's trying to stop us giving our names."

"People have died, though!" Hermione said.

"Yeah, but that was years ago, wasn't it? Anyway, where's the fun without a bit of risk?"

"What do you think, Stripe?" Gabe nudged Mia. "Just the sort of thing that would look good on an Auror application?"

"Don't even think about it." Mia pushed Gabe making him stumble on the stairs. "If you make me go through the last three years of school alone because you decided to get yourself killed, I will find a way to bring you back, and kill you again."

Gabe laughed and wished them all a good night as he parted ways towards the Ravenclaw tower.

Ron and Harry talked about entering while Fred and George whispered about Aging Potions.

When they reached the common room, Mia and Hermione made their way to their room, Hermione muttering about slave labor. She shook her head and wished her friend a good night, as she got ready for bed, fighting Lavender once again for a spot by the mirror. She was definitely home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let the Tri-... Quad-Wizard Tournament commence!


	118. The Ferret

The next morning Gabe joined Mia at the Gryffindor table to look over their class schedules. They had quite a few classes together as they were still taking the same electives.

"So, would you really enter if you could?" Mia asked Gabe.

"Nah," Gabe said through a mouthful of sausage. Once he swallowed he continued. "It would be fun for sure, but there's still so much left to learn. I would look a fool to lose it all for Hogwarts just because I thought myself all-knowing at the age of fourteen. It does seem like a bummer though, only getting to watch. If I was in the twins place, I would try to sneak in too."

They looked over at Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, bent over their pumpkin juice a few seats away talking about magical aging methods. Mia had to agree. It would stink to be so close, yet not able to enter.

Madam Pomfrey walked in, heading for the head table and Mia jumped from her seat. "Madam Pomfrey!"

The healer smiled when she saw her. "Amelia, glad to see you back. How are you dear?"

"I'm great! But I wanted to ask you something." She looked around to make sure there weren't any students except for Gabe too close to overhear. "As you know, Professor Snape taught me to brew the Wolfsbane Potion last year, and this summer I have been making it for Remus, but now that I'm back at school… I was wondering if I could use your workroom to keep making it, and sending it home each month. It shouldn't take a lot of time, and I could also help with stocking potions for the school too."

The healer looked Mia over with thought and a little sadness. "I think we can make some arrangements. Let me talk with Professor McGonagall. We want to be sure this will not get in the way of your school work of course."

"Thanks so much, Madam Pomfrey."

Mia and Gabe parted ways as she headed to Herbology. After an oddly satisfying class of draining bubotuber pus, she met up with Gabe for Ancient Runes followed by Arithmancy.

Professor McGonagall found her and Gabe walking towards the great hall for dinner, her arms were full of books. She let Mia know Madam Pomfrey had found her and told her Mia's idea of brewing the Wolfsbane Potion and other projects on the weekends.

"I'm inclined to grant your request as long as you don't allow it to affect your grades."

"Thank you, Professor." Mia glanced at Gabe, walking just separate from them as they talked. There was something else she wanted to ask the professor, but she still wasn't sure how. "Would you be up for tea sometime this week, so we can catch up?"

The corner of the Professor's mouth twitched at the side. "That would be quite nice. How about Thursday?"

"Perfect."

They rounded the corner into the entrance hall, to see a mess of students standing around watching something. Professor McGonagall pushed through, and Mia and Gabe followed behind so they could see too. Professor Moody was standing in the center of the students bouncing something white off the floor, then back into the air with his wand. It looked like a white ferret. Mia gasped. Why would he hurt a little ferret? Harry Ron and Hermione stood close by. The boys had looks of shock and glee, while Hermione was just shocked.

"Professor Moody!" McGonagall said loudly and sternly.

"Hello, Professor McGonagall." Moody was calmly bouncing the ferret higher and higher with each bounce off the hard stone.

"What– what are you doing?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Teaching."

"Teach– Moody, is that a student?" Professor McGonagall shrieked and the books in her arms fell to the ground.

Moody wasn't fazed. "Yep."

"No!" Professor McGonagall ran down the last few stairs dropping the books and pulled out her wand. There was a loud snap and Draco appeared in place of the ferret lying on the floor with his hair a total mess. His face was bright red. He stood up carefully, wincing, his eyes were bright and watering. Mia made to cross the room and go to her cousin, but Gabe stopped her.

"No, he won't appreciate sympathy in a crowd like this," Gabe whispered. He was right, Draco was too prideful. If she tried to check to see if he was ok, he would just be cruel.

"Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment! Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?" McGonagall continued.

"He might've mentioned it, yeah, but I thought a good sharp shock–"

"We give detentions, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of House!"

"I'll do that, then."

Moody looked down at Draco with a look of disgust and Draco muttered something that looked like it included "my father."

"Oh yeah?" Moody limped forward a few steps his wooden leg clunking along. "Well, I know your father of old, boy… You tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son... you tell him that from me... Now, your Head of House'll be Snape, will it?"

"Yes."

"Another old friend. I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape. Come on, you."

He grabbed Draco by the arm and pulled him towards the dungeons. McGonagall looked like she wanted to follow, but instead summoned her books back into her arms and headed down a hall.

Mia watched with worry until they disappeared and Gabe pulled her into the great hall for dinner. The sixth years who had just come from their first DADA class talked in low quiet voices about Professor Moody. Fred and George were in awe of his experience and skills. Gabe was antsy with excitement for their class later in the week. He couldn't wait to be taught by an actual Auror.

Draco came in towards the end of the meal, an unreadable expression on his face, and every hair back in place. Mia cornered him as he left the great hall.

"Draco, are you ok?"

"What do you care, Black?" he spat.

"Hey, don't be mean just because you're mad at someone else."

Draco sighed but wouldn't meet her eyes. "Fine, what do you want?"

"I wanted to see if you were ok. It wasn't cool what Moody did. Hopefully, Dumbledore will straighten him out."

Draco snorted. "Not likely. Do you even know who he is?"

"The Prophet says he's a retired Auror."

"More like fired Auror. He was responsible for throwing most of You-Know-Who's supporters in jail. He spoke at my father's trial back then and tried to get him locked up just the same. Now he's targeting me because he couldn't get my father."

Mia frowned. "I heard he targeted you because you tried to hex Harry while his back was turned."

Draco snorted. "That was his excuse, sure, but you of all people should know what it's like to be judged based on the actions of your father."

Mia sighed. "But at the time, I was trying my hardest to be the opposite of what my father represented… you? You seem determined to live up to your family name. Have you ever noticed the worst things that happen to you usually come right after you are trying to hurt someone else? What if you just tried to stop antagonizing other people? You don't have to go out of your way to be nice, just stop going out of your way to torment."

"Yeah, but what would be the fun in that?" Draco asked smirking.

"The fun is not being turned into a ferret and bounced off the floor."

Draco glared at her, but there was no heat to it. "Yeah, whatever Black." He turned and started walking away. "You should write my mum. She misses you."

"I will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're having a wonderful weekend <3


	119. Curses

Thursday came and all the forth years were anxious to get through their first class and lunch. When they were finished eating, Mia and Gabe hurried to DADA to get good seats and pull out their books and notes. When Professor Moody entered he told them all to put away their books and started going over some of the things they had learned in years past, informing them how behind they all were on curses.

"Curses," Moody started. "They come in many strengths and forms. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you counter curses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal dark curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it till then. But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful. You need to put that away, Miss Brown, when I'm talking."

Lavender jumped in her seat and started cramming a piece of parchment back into her bag that she had been showing to Parvati under the table. Moody hadn't been looking her way, but as he turned, the big blue bulbous eye was fixed on Lavender as though it had seen her out the side of his head.

"So, do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?"

Several people raised their hands, but Moody called on Ron "Er, my dad told me about one. Is it called the Imperius Curse, or something?"

"Ah, yes, your father would know that one. Gave the Ministry a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius Curse." Moody walked to his desk and pulled out a jar with three large spiders in it. He reached inside and caught a spider and held it in his palm. He pointed his wand at the spider and muttered a curse _Imperio!_

He made the spider put out a long web and swing dramatically before it landed on the desk. It cartwheeled on the desk and started tap dancing. People laughed along, but something about the gleam in Moody's real eye made Mia feel uncomfortable.

"Think it's funny, do you?" Moody growled. "You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?"

Everyone stopped laughing, and Mia got a bad feeling things would get worse.

"Total control," Moody whispered. The spider balled itself up and began rolling around. "I could make it jump out of the window, drown itself, throw itself down one of your throats. Years back, there were a lot of witches and wizards being controlled by the Imperius Curse. Some job for the Ministry, trying to sort out who was being forced to act, and who was acting of their own free will. The Imperius Curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got it. Better avoid being hit with it if you can. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

The class jumped. Moody picked up the spider and threw it back in the jar and asked for another curse anyone knew of. This time the person to be called on was Neville. Mia was surprised. He usually didn't raise his hand outside of herbology.

His voice was soft as he spoke. "There's one, the Cruciatus Curse."

Moody examined Neville closely with both eyes. "Your name's Longbottom?" he asked. When Neville nodded Moody pulled out a second spider. He enlarged it till it was bigger than a tarantula. Ron pushed his chair back till it was against the desk behind him, and seemed to lean back in his chair. Mia muffled a snort and nudged Gabe to see Ron's clear fear of the spider. When Moody spoke the next curse _Crucio,_ she stopped smiling.

The spider rolled up, its legs bending in as it twitched and spasmed. It didn't make any noise, but the pain was clear. Moody didn't stop. He kept pointing his wand at the creature as it writhed and rocked. Mia saw Neville, a few seats away gripping his table, his knuckles were white, clear horror on his face. Hermione yelled for Moody to stop, and the teacher did.

"Pain," the teacher said. "You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse. That one was very popular once too."

Neville was breathing hard in his seat, and Mia wondered what had him so worked up.

Moody asked who knew any other curses, and Hermione raised her hand slowly. Mia had a bad feeling for the last spider. "Avada Kedavra," Hermione whispered. The words struck something in Mia. She knew this one, but couldn't quite remember where.

Moody grabbed out the last spider and it sat in his hand. Moody pointed his wand and yelled the curse _Avada Kedavra._ A blast of green light flew out of the wand and blew the spider back a few inches and it lay there unmoving.

Dead.

Something deep down in Mia's chest broke. She remembered now.

She'd heard that curse when the dementors attacked, when the memories of her aunt killing her mom surfaced in her memory. The green light was seared into her memory. Hadn't she just told Luna she didn't know who she'd seen die so she could see Thestrals? It had been her mother.

Gabe's hand rested on her arm and she looked over. 'I'm fine' she mouthed and wiped away the tear on her cheek. She didn't want to draw any attention to herself.

"Not nice," Moody said. "Not pleasant. And there's no countercurse. There's no blocking it. Only one known person has ever survived it, and he's sitting right in front of me." Mia turned and looked at Harry, along with the rest of the class. She felt bad for him, if he was feeling anything like she was he would hate having everyone looking at him.

"Avada Kedavra's a curse that needs a powerful bit of magic behind it, you could all get your wands out now and point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed. But that doesn't matter. I'm not here to teach you how to do it."

He told them to get out their quills as he started to explain more on the curse. "Now, if there's no countercurse, why am I showing you? Because you've got to know. You've got to appreciate what the worst is. You don't want to find yourself in a situation where you're facing it. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he yelled, and Mia jumped in her seat.

"Now, those three curses, Avada Kedavra, Imperius, and Cruciatus, are known as the Unforgivable Curses. The use of any one of them on a fellow human being is enough to earn a life sentence in Azkaban. That's what you're up against. That's what I've got to teach you to fight. You need preparing. You need arming. But most of all, you need to practice constant, never-ceasing vigilance."

After class Mia and Gabe headed off for a quick dinner, then went to the library to work on homework before Mia had her tea time with Professor McGonagall. She wanted to ask the Professor something important, something Gabe might not approve of, but now with the gloom of her last class hanging over her, Mia wanted to put it off.

She was in the middle of her Ancient Runes homework when Hermione dropped a box on her desk. Inside was a number of small buttons.

"Spew?" Gabe asked, peering into the box.

"No," Hermione looked offended. "It's S-P-E-W. Stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. The heading of our manifesto is Stop the Outrageous Abuse of Our Fellow Magical Creatures and Campaign for a Change in Their Legal Status." She pulled out a piece of parchment and set it in front of them with the society name and motto followed by a charter. "I've been researching. Elf enslavement goes back centuries. I can't believe no one's done anything about it before now. Our short-term aims are to secure house-elves fair wages and working conditions. Our long-term aims include changing the law about non-wand use, and trying to get an elf into the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, because they're shockingly underrepresented. It's two Sickles to join, that buys a badge, and the proceeds can fund our leaflet campaign, once Harry and Ron join up, there will be five of us." Hermione's speech ended and she looked at Mia and Gabe.

Mia looked at Gabe, and he looked back at her, his eyebrows raised as if unsure Hermione was serious. "Hermione, is this what you've been working on all week?" Mia asked.

"Yes, it's important we get started immediately recruiting new members."

Gabe reached into his robes and pulled out two Sickles. "I'll join if I can be a silent member." Mia looked at him in shock, but Gabe was grinning as he reached into the box, depositing his Sickles and pulled out a badge. He looked at it fondly and muttered "Spew" with a smile before he attached it to his robes.

Hermione looked satisfied. "Mia?"

Mia sighed. "Hermione, I get it. Slavery is bad, and I'm sure there are house elves out there whose lives could be better, but what do you really think you will accomplish here? Hogwarts is probably the best home a house elf could hope for, and you aren't going to be able to impact real change unless you graduate and take over the ministry."

"So that's a no then? You won't join because you think students are powerless?"

"If I join I won't be a silent member. I will be loud and annoying and tell you why I think you are wrong," Mia warned her.

"That is acceptable." Hermione pulled out a badge and set it in front of Mia.

Mia signed. "My money is in my trunk, I'll get it to you tonight."

Hermione nodded and picked up her box and left the library, probably to go harass Ron and Harry into joining. Gabe picked up Mia's badge, a big smile still on his face and pinned it to her robes.

"Why are you so on board with this?" Mia asked Gabe. "I didn't know you were such a supporter of Elfish welfare."

Gabe gave Mia a look like she was dim. "I'm wearing a badge on my robes that says spew. It's hilarious! I joined just for the badge. Just wait, everyone will want one by the end of the week."

"It's ridiculous!"

"Exactly!"

Mia shook her head and packed up her bag to head to McGonagall's office for tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think Mia wants to talk to McGonagall about?


	120. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> McGonagall fluff is the best fluff of all.

By the time she entered Professor McGonagall's office, the smile she had given Gabe was long gone. She needed to tell the Professor something important, but she still wasn't sure how, and the heaviness she had felt since leaving DADA had returned.

The Professor asked Mia what her new badge was about, and she told her Hermione's new plan to rescue house elves. The teacher pursed her lips, but said nothing as she made tea.

"You seem a little more glum than usual Amelia, what is bothering you?" she asked as she handed her a filled tea cup.

"We had Defense Against the Dark Arts today."

"Ah, I see. And what did Professor Moody do that has caused you to look like you just failed my class?"

"He showed us the unforgivable curses."

"He did what?!" McGonagall asked, setting down her tea cup with a clack.

"He had three spiders and performed each curse on one of them. It was horrible. But the last one… It got me thinking. When the dementors attacked last year I saw glimpses, memories of when I was a baby. My aunt used the killing curse to kill my mum, right in front of me. That's why I can see Thestrals." Mia sighed. She was rambling. "Anyways, seeing it performed just kind of brought everything up."

McGonagall sighed. "I wish I had something comforting to offer Amelia. It is a tragedy what happened to your mother, and I'm sorry you had to endure that in class."

"Why is Professor Moody here? He said Professor Dumbledore wants him to prepare us, like something is coming, but if what I've read about him is true, and he's so willing to break the law, performing those curses in front of witnesses, why is he really here?"

"That is a rather complicated answer. It is true he is a little more… reckless than he once was, but he is an old friend of Professor Dumbledore's, and was an instrumental part in taking out The Dark Lord years ago."

"Was he a part of the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Now where did you hear that name?"

"You told me, the summer before first year when you told me about my parents," Mia reminded her.

McGonagall sighed. "So I did. It would be best not to bring that up again. The Order was intended to stay secret."

"So he was a part of it?"

"Yes, he was."

Mia nodded. "And because Dumbledore is worried about that stuff at the end of last term, with the prophecy, and why Harry had to stay with his aunt and uncle, he wanted someone he trusts in the school." She hadn't wanted to think about the prophecy about the dark lord rising, or about Remus and Sirius talking quietly about Harry's scar hurting this summer, and how it was a warning. She wanted her family to stay as it was, to stay safe.

"Now Amelia, really, this isn't something you should concern yourself with, and more so, you should not repeat those thoughts to anyone, do you understand?"

Mia nodded again and took a sip of her tea. "I can keep a secret. Gabe and I both can, and we both want to join the Order if it really does get reformed."

"That isn't really up to me. You are still very young, and your father…"

Mia chuckled. "He would be all for it. Remus on the other hand would not approve. I know we're still young, but we won't be forever. I just wanted to mention it now, so it doesn't come as such a shock later."

"Let us hope it doesn't come to that."

Mia nodded and sipped her tea. There was something else she wanted to talk to the Professor about, but she didn't know how to start.

"Professor, can I ask you a hypothetical question?"

"Of course."

"If I did something, really bad like really, really bad, but wanted to fix it, would you help me, or would you hold me to the consequences of my actions?"

"Both."

"What?"

McGonagall sighed. "What happened?"

"This is just a hypothetical."

"Right, so hypothetically, how bad was the mistake?"

"Like, I could be expelled and go to Azkaban."

"Did you hurt someone?"

"No!"

"Did you put someone in danger?"

"Not intentionally."

"Amelia, tell me what is wrong."

"I can't. It's not about me. I did something, it was stupid, but I did it. But I thought if things went wrong, I would be the only one to suffer, but, someone else decided to do the same thing, and now their future is at risk. If I tell you, and you do your job, follow the rules, then it would be hurting them. I can't do that. I need to find a way to help them, to fix this for them."

She wasn't appealing to the McGonagall who was mercilessly fair and took points from her own house when students deserved it, she was appealing to the McGonagall who saw Harry breaking a rule, flying a broom for the first time without supervision, and instead of expelling him gave him a position as seeker. She was appealing to the McGonagall who offered to adopt her when the school was at risk of closing her second year, and who had made the stone castle feel like a home for the first three years of her schooling.

The Professor gave her a long look as if she was sizing her up. "Amelia, tell me how I can help."

Mia sighed and looked away for a moment. "Can I ask you another hypothetical question?"

McGonagall sighed and nodded and took a sip of tea.

"If I wanted to register to be an animagus, would you help me apply?"

McGonagall closed her eyes. "Merlin's saggy b–" She ran a hand over her face and covered her mouth.

Mia decided her best plan was to say nothing, so she sipped her tea quietly while the teacher sat with her eyes closed and her face hidden. After a few long minutes, she opened her eyes and picked up her tea taking a sip as though nothing had happened. "How long?"

Mia grimaced. "Summer after first year."

"Your first year?!" McGonagall almost yelled but stopped herself. She sighed and set down her tea. "And shall I guess who's name I will be putting on the second set of paperwork?"

"They don't know I told you."

"Bring Gabriel to my office tomorrow night. I will have the paperwork ready. You will both also need to get parental permission but we can talk about the particulars tomorrow."

Mia winced. McGonagall wasn't stupid, of course she would guess it was Gabe. "Thank you, Professor."

"Don't thank me. I'm quite angry. Do you know how dangerous this was?"

Mia nodded. "It was easy for me, maybe because I inherited the gift or something, but Gabe had a lot harder time. I didn't really see how dangerous it was until he came to me and told me what he had done. But now it's over and done with, and I just want to make sure his future as an Auror isn't ruined."

McGonagall sighed. "If I help with this, I need you to make me a promise. You need to tell me about any project you attempt to start from here on out. Do we have a deal?"

"Every project?" Fred and George would never go for that. Mia wouldn't be able to help with future pranks.

"Oh, I don't want to hear about the nonsense I will have to put a stop to. It would have been a shame if we had never had the Lockhart rainbow show." McGonagall and Mia chuckled for a few moments at the memory. But then she grew serious again. "But I want you to tell me about the projects that could be dangerous or could affect people other than yourself. You know what I mean, and I expect you not to break my trust in the matter."

Mia sighed. "Ok, I promise. But that means there's something else I need to tell you about."

Professor McGonagall looked on with concern, then surprised as Mia told her about her secret potions project. She told her it wasn't yet successful, and that at this rate it may never be successful, but it was only right to tell the professor now.

"That is a serious undertaking to be sure." The professor looked thoughtful for a moment. "I won't put a stop to your efforts, but I will put one constraint. Before you attempt to brew the potion again, I insist you have Professor Snape read over your plans."

"But professor, he hates me!"

"Now that isn't entirely true. No, no, listen. He isn't a fan of your father, or how things ended last year, but for Professor Snape... He would never turn down a chance at a discovery like you are proposing." Mia was doubtful. "Show him your plan and if he gives you a response you believe is unfair, we will talk about it. Deal?"

Mia nodded. "I don't even know how long it will take before I have another workable plan with everything else having failed so far, but I will take it to him before I brew again, if I'm still a student by then."

McGonagall smiled. "I have full faith in you, child."

Gabe wasn't in the library when Mia was done with tea. It was getting close to curfew, so she returned to her room and curled up on her bed with her message book.

_Do you trust me?_

She wrote the question, then got ready for bed as she waited for Gabe's reply. When it came Mia read it and laughed.

_Is there another Society you want me to join? The answer is yes, but only as long as they have cool buttons with ridiculous slogans._

She wrote back; _Ok maybe, but that's not what this is about. This is something important, that you may or may not hate me for._

Gabe's reply took only a moment. _I trust you Mia. I'd trust you with my life. I don't think there's anything you could ever do to get me to hate you._

Mia smiled and hoped it was true.

_Ok then, here it goes… McGonagall is going to help us register as Animagi._

_YOU TOLD HER?! MIA! WE COULD BE ARRESTED!_

Mia started writing lower on the page before he finished until his panicked scribbles came to a stop.

_Gabe calm down, hear me out. We could be arrested as long as we are unregistered. If McGonagall helps us register legally, there won't be any more risk. Gabe, what Tonks said about your chances as an Auror was true. I don't want to put your future at risk, and this is the only way to fix it. Being registered in your fourth year as an Animagi will only help your application. Who wouldn't want an Auror who could turn to a wolf and chase down a death eater?_

The page stayed blank for a moment, and Mia started to worry.

_Gabe?_

He took a few more minutes to start writing again.

_McGonagall really isn't mad at us?_

_Haha, no she's mad. She made me promise to tell her all of my future plans from now on, but she's going to help us. She may lecture us a little, but she will help._

Gabe hesitated again before he continued.

_Ok, you're right. This is the best plan. I'm sorry I freaked._

The next evening McGonagall did lecture them, but she also helped them. She had Gabe write a letter to his parents explaining everything they had done, and that, with their permission, McGonagall was helping them register with the ministry. They filled out the applications, and McGonagall said she would hold them until Gabe's parents had approved. Mia didn't need to ask Sirius, as he already knew what she was.

Gabe's dad wrote a return letter the next week. He explained he was writing because Gabe's mum was too angry, and it was all she could do to not send a howler and out Gabe to the entire school.

His parents were very angry and told him they would have words when he came home for the Christmas break.

McGonagall also assigned them both very long essays they were to complete about the risks and dangers of the animagus process due by the end of the month. It was a lighter punishment than Mia expected.


	121. The Goblet of Fire

Gabe was right.

Within eight weeks SPEW badges could be seen on almost every chest, including a fair number of Slytherins. Mia had a small suspicion it was the full embrace of the handsome Ravenclaw Quidditch chaser sporting the badge around the school that had first made random students approach Hermione with their Sickles, but within a few weeks, Hermione had a small group of dedicated students who honestly were concerned for elfish welfare, and didn't just want an ironic pin.

Mia joined meetings only often enough to stop Hermione from doing any truly foolish plans, like leaving knit hats and gloves around hoping an elf would accidentally pick one up and be "freed". Mia had to explain, she was basically forcing someone to make a life change they didn't want. So instead Hermione focused on wizard education and elfish representation.

By the end of October, Mia and Gabe had both quietly become registered animagi, and prayed no one in the school would request an updated list of registered animagi from the ministry. It was now public record, but they didn't want the whole school to know about their change.

Schoolwork became harder and harder as their teachers tried to prepare them for their OWLs still over a year away, and Mia did have a little trouble juggling her homework and monthly potions brewing for Remus and Sirius, but she would never admit it. She had all but given up on her other project.

At the end of October a notice was posted in the entrance hall:

TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT

THE DELEGATIONS FROM BEAUXBATONS AND DURMSTRANG WILL BE ARRIVING AT 6 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY THE 30TH OF OCTOBER. LESSONS WILL END HALF AN HOUR EARLY.

STUDENTS WILL RETURN THEIR BAGS AND BOOKS TO THEIR DORMITORIES AND ASSEMBLE IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE TO GREET OUR GUESTS BEFORE THE WELCOMING FEAST.

The days leading up to Friday were crazy. The school was scrubbed cleaner than Mia had ever seen it, each suit of armor gleaming, each painting scrubbed clean, the paintings occupants annoyed and grumbling. The teachers also seemed stressed, asking the students not to show their lack of knowledge or basic understanding of academic principles before the students of the other schools.

Friday morning the great hall was decked out in silk banners hanging from each wall representing the different houses. Even the candles hanging in the air looked fresh and new. Mia thunked down in a seat next to George, Gabe at her side.

"So have you two figured out how you would get around the age limit yet?" Mia asked.

"I asked McGonagall how the champions are chosen but she wasn't telling," George said bitterly. "She just told me to shut up and get on with transfiguring my raccoon."

"We can't prepare if we don't know how it will be protected," Fred said.

"Well, age potions don't take long to make at least."

That evening, after class, Mia rushed to her room to return her bag along with the other Gryffindors, then returned to the entrance hall. The heads of houses were making everyone line up in order of their year, and were yelling at all of them to straighten their clothes, or to act proper. Gabe did a little shuffling to be parallel with Mia in his line.

"Psst. How do you think they will come?" He stage whispered to Mia.

"Look sharp Adewumi!" Professor Flitwick called.

Gabe snapped up and straightened his posture, then straightened the SPEW badge on his chest.

Mia laughed. "Please show less joy, Miss Black," Professor McGonagall ordered as she told Parvati to remove a pretty butterfly clip from her hair.

Mia looked to Gabe to see him snickering.

They were all led outside to wait in their long straight lines. The night was crisp, and everyone fidgeted and talked about how they thought the students would arrive. Mia was getting bored when Professor Dumbledore called out from behind them. "Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"

"Where?" Everyone started whispering at once.

"Do you see them?"

"I can't see anything, it's night time you dolt!"

"There! Over the forest!"

Mia squinted, then changed her eyes to Tiger. It looked like… It looked like a giant carriage being pulled by flying horses. Not Thestrals, these were beautiful palominos, with great feathered wings and all the size of an elephant. The huge light blue carriage came to a jolting stop before them all, the wheels bouncing hard, and the horses stomping their giant feet and throwing their golden heads back, eyes gleaming red.

The door of the carriage opened, and a boy in pale blue robes came around and unfolded a set of golden steps from the carriage. Then a very, very large foot stepped out of the carriage followed by a very, very large woman.

Someone in the back started clapping, and everyone joined in. Dumbledore approached and kissed the woman's hand. "My dear Madame Maxime. Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Dumbly-dort," Madame Maxime said with a deep accented voice. "I 'ope I find you well?"

"In excellent form, I thank you."

"My pupils," the woman gestured her hand and a gaggle of older kids, about twelve boys and girls all shivered in her shadow. Their uniforms looked like thin silk, and they had no cloaks but wrapped scarves and shawls around their necks and heads.

"As Karkaroff arrived yet?" Madame Maxime asked.

"He should be here any moment. Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?"

"Warm up, I think."

Madame Maxime walked casually towards the entrance hall, followed by the Beauxbaton students. Once the Beauxbaton's were gone, everyone started to talk about what type of horses would be pulling the Durmstrang students. They again grew more and more restless until...

"Can you hear something?"

"The lake!"

"Look at the lake!"

The lake was bubbling and frothing as something rose from far below. A whirlpool started in the lake, and a black poll rose from the water, with rigging attached.

"It's a mast!"

"A boat!"

A magnificent ship rose from the water, gleaming in the moonlight. It bobbed in the water, heading towards the shore and then there was a plunk from an anchor and a plank was lowered to the ground. With her tiger eyes she could see the silhouettes of a group of large bulky people, but as they approached, she realized they were wearing thick cloaks made of shaggy fur.

A man wearing a cloak of sleek silver fur led the way and approached Dumbledore with open arms. "Dumbledore! How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"

"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff."

"Dear old Hogwarts, how good it is to be here, how good... Viktor, come along, into the warmth. You don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold."

She heard a choking sound from her left as Gabe seemed to forget how to breathe, and she heard Ron whispering frantically behind her. "Harry - it's Krum!"

People started whispering frantically as the Durmstrang students entered the castle, and everyone filed in behind them. "Vat es SPEW?" Mia heard one of the Durmstrang students ask as they filed past. Mia smiled to herself. The school had spent weeks cleaning itself up for the incoming delegations and yet all the Hogwarts students were wearing colorful badges on their black robes that said the word spew. She would have to tell Gabe, he would find it endlessly funny.

The Beauxbaton students were seated at the Ravenclaw table and the Durmstrang students found seats at the Slytherin table. Mia saw Draco push a first year out of the way so he could sit next to Krum.

Once everyone was seated, Dumbledore stood. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and - most particularly - guests. I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable. The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast. I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!"

The table filled with food, and Mia noticed a few new dishes Hermione said were likely traditional for the two visiting schools. Across the room, a pretty Beauxbaton girl with long silvery blond hair took off her scarf and shook out her hair. A few boys sitting nearby sat transfixed staring at her as she laughed at something her classmate said. Gabe was one of the boys staring at her transfixed and Mia looked away, focusing on her plate. A short time later the girl approached Ron and asked for the French dish in front of him. He blabbered dumbly, and Harry handed over the dish. When she was gone, Ron had a panicked expression on his face.

"She's a veela!" Ron said.

"Of course she isn't!" Hermione said. "I don't see anyone else gaping at her like an idiot!"

Mia wanted to disagree. She saw boys all over the room turn and look as she walked by. Gabe was sitting in his seat, with a frown on his face as he examined his plate.

A few official looking men entered the room and sat at the head table. One of them looked like the man who was announcing at the Quidditch World Cup, although he was no longer wearing the yellow and black robes.

Once the food had disappeared from the tables, Dumbledore stood again. "The moment has come. The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket, just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports." People clapped for the two men, more so for Bagman. He looked more likable, with a big cheery grin. Crouch, in contrast, looked grumpy.

"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament, and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts."

Dumbledore paused as if letting the anticipation build. "The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch."

Filch approached Dumbledore carrying an old wooden chest, covered in jewels.

"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman, and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways, their magical prowess, their daring, their powers of deduction, and, of course, their ability to cope with danger."

Filch put the chest onto the table in front of Dumbledore, and the hall grew incredibly silent.

"As you know, three champions compete in the tournament, one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire."

Dumbledore took out his wand and tapped it on the top of the casket three times. The lid opened, and Dumbledore reached inside and pulled out a wooden cup filled with dancing blue-white flames. He closed the casket and placed the goblet on top where everyone could see it.

"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet. Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete. To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation, I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line."

"Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all."

Students began to stand around the room. Mia saw Fred stand with George a few seats away and rushed to follow behind eavesdropping. "An Age Line!" Fred said. "Well, that should be fooled by an Aging Potion, shouldn't it? And once your name's in that goblet, you're laughing, it can't tell whether you're seventeen or not!"

"It won't work," Mia said popping up between them.

"No one asked you, Black," George said.

"Fine, don't ask me then," Mia said walking ahead of then.

* * *

The next afternoon Mia was in the hospital wing finishing up her monthly supply of Wolfsbane Potion for Remus, and Ekrizdis potion for Sirius when two bearded twins came in.

Mia doubled over laughing. Their beards were long and silver and magnificently spectacular. None of the other bearded students to come in looked nearly as good.

"So tell us, oh great one, why it didn't work?" George asked, stroking his beard fondly.

Mia had to struggle to stop laughing. She wiped tears of joy from her eyes as she straightened. "Age lines reference the calendar year, not the physical year. Making your body older isn't enough."

"So what would you have done then?" Fred asked sharply.

Mia shrugged. "Asked an older student to put my name in."

Fred and George looked at each other, a gleam in their eyes. "We still have time!" Mia shook her head and walked back to the workroom to finish her potions and start on a few batches of pepperup potion for the school.

Gabe found her a few hours later as she was bottling potions. He hopped up on a counter to wait for her to finish. "Was this really more fun than putting it off till tomorrow and sitting in the entrance hall watching people put their names in the goblet?"

"I don't know, watching all the bearded students come up and get shaved was quite enjoyable."

Gabe laughed. "Did you see Fred and George?"

They laughed together as Gabe helped Mia carry her potions to the owlery and send them off. Gabe asked casually how she addressed the package. "Do you just address it to 'Dads'." Mia elbowed him and informed it she didn't address the package at all, or the letter tucked inside. It made it all so much easier.

The first letter from Sirius had come the week before, his response to news about the Triwizard Tournament and asking Mia if she would sneak her name in. The letter was signed at the end "Your loving Um."

Mia had felt mortified, and Gabe had just laughed and pat her back.

"So, what do you think about the Yule Ball?" Gabe asked.

Mia shuffled the paper in her hands, writing a quick update at the end of her letter before she tucked it into the pack for the owl. "What about it?" She added a note about Fred and George's impressive beards. She was sure Sirius would enjoy that bit.

"Well, it sounds like it will be a fun event. You know, dancing and all?"

Mia sighed and put down her quill. "I never did get dress robes, and I promised Sirius and Remus I would come home for Christmas."

"But I'm sure your Dads would understand you want to stay. They wouldn't want you to miss it."

Mia shrugged and tied the package onto a very large barn owl, and wished him a safe flight. "For the first time I actually have a home to go to, I'm kind of excited for it."

"Right. I understand," Gabe said. Mia glanced at him, he was frowning but smiled when he saw her. "Let's get to the feast."

The Halloween decorations in the great hall were fantastic, real live bats, floating carved pumpkins, and amidst it all, the goblet of fire aflame in the center of the room. Everyone was whispering about who all had put in their names, and guessing about who would be chosen. As the plates cleared, Dumbledore got to his feet and the room grew silent. He announced the goblet would soon call the winners, and asked if anyone's name was called, they should cross the room and enter the chamber behind the head table. With a flick of his wrist, all the candles in the room went out, except for the ones in the pumpkins floating above. The goblet of fire cast an eerie light around the room. It was all quite exciting. 

The sparks turned red suddenly and sparks shot out, carrying with it a scrap of parchment that Dumbledore caught before the flames turned back to blue.

"The champion for Durmstrang, will be Viktor Krum," he read out. The room broke out into cheers and Mia nudged Hermione in the ribs as the man stood and crossed the room, entering the door behind the table.

The room went silent again as the flames turned red, and Dumbledore caught the next scrap of parchment. "The champion for Beauxbatons, is Fleur Delacour!"

Again, the room broke into applause, and the silvery blond girl Ron believed was half Veela stood and shook out her silvery hair before crossing the room and exiting through the door.

The flames turned red once more, and another scrap appeared. "The Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory!"

The room broke out in the loudest cheers of them all, no one as loud as the Hufflepuff table, as their quidditch seeker rose from the table and crossed the room.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore called. "Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real–"

The fire turned red again, and sparks again flew out, carrying with them a forth scrap of parchment. Dumbledore caught it and stared at it. After a long pause, Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Harry Potter."

No one cheered. They all turned somewhat confused and stared at Harry. Harry stared at Dumbledore.

"Harry Potter!" Dumbledore called again. "Harry! Up here, if you please!"

Hermione nudged him, and he stood from his chair awkwardly. He tripped and stumbled, then kept walking towards the door. Once he was through, Dumbledore calmly assessed the watching students.

"Now, may you all head to your beds while we prep our four champions. Good night," he said calmly.

After his last words, chaos broke out. Everyone was yelling something different. The Hufflepuffs wanted to know who was the Hogwarts champion, even Madame Maxime and Karkaroff were shouting at Dumbledore as he walked to the door the other champions had used, his expression even. No one left the great hall. Everyone was talking except for Ron and Hermione.

"Do you think he really did it?" Ron asked softly. Mia could barely hear him, but the look of hurt and something more on his face said it all.

McGonagall eventually used her wand to make a loud bang and get everyone's attention before she ordered them all off to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When People ask me how I am, I'm gonna start saying 'Blooming.' I love Dumbledore.   
> My beta hasn't really replied to any emails in a few weeks, soooo years 5 6 and 7 are not edited right now, but if I stick to my schedule will start going up next week. Right now I think I'm just gonna post them un edited and edit them later, unless anyone wants to beta like 30k+ words :] These will include things like miss spellings of beloved characters names, missed punctuation and capitalization, and everything else spell check doesn't help with :]


	122. The First Task

Working in the hospital wing an idea had come to Mia on her secret potion project. She returned to the library for every spare moment.

She'd already read every book in the library on Animagi, so now she spent her weekends and evenings finding and reading every book with a mention of werewolves and the lycanthropy infection.

The library was a lot more noisy this year. Viktor seemed to spend a lot of time in the Library, and there was always a gaggle of girls hanging around whispering and giggling. Hermione found it endlessly annoying.

Mia was reading a book by a very old, very dead wizard who had collected tidbits and stories about werewolf culture and history. In the book he mentioned very briefly, a grizzly and frightening legend from the memoirs of F. Aesalon who he reported was too outlandish for him to ever tell.

Mia sighed to herself. This was what was frustrating about this author. He would get deep into a story about werewolf politics or a conflict between pacts, and then just before the good parts would say something like; _"sharing the details further would be a breach of trust I have sworn to uphold, but you can imagine the outcome."_ It was as if the entire book was a teaser trying to get budding academics to drop by the old wizard's house and interview him over tea for the whole story.

Mia sighed and flipped the page. She was halfway through the next story when she remembered. F. Aesalon. She knew that name. Falco Aesalon was a transfiguration master, and was the first successful Animagi in history. His partner was a potions master who supposedly found the research from some old dead potions apprentice whose master had been the first werewolf. Mia checked the card catalog for the name, but found no books by an Aesalon in the library, not even in the restricted section.

"Hermione, when's the next Hogsmeade trip?" Mia asked her friend who was busy muttering about quidditch players and giggling girls.

"Saturday," Hermione said gloomily.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm trying to get Harry and Ron to talk. I was going to trick them into meeting at the Three Broomsticks."

Mia winced. Harry and Ron's fight was turning legendary, and Hermione was stuck in the middle. Apparently Ron didn't believe Harry when he said he didn't put his name in the goblet of fire. Harry was back to being hated by everyone except for the Ravenclaws. Most student's uniforms were now covered in Potter stinks and SPEW badges.

Just then a hunched figure made their way to their table and loomed behind Hermione.

"Um, excuse me," Viktor Krum said in a soft voice. "Do you have a spare quill I could borrow?"

Hermione turned in surprise and blushed, then frowned at the quidditch star. Hermione sighed and pulled a quill out of her bag and handed it over. "Couldn't one of your fan club loan one?" she asked rudely.

Viktor looked over his shoulder and grimaced. "Yes, but then I vould have to use it to sign everything they have. You on the other hand vill only scowl and vinkle your forehead but help me anyvays." He smiled softly and bowed to Hermione as he took the quill. "I am in your debt, my lady."

Hermione harrumphed and turned back to her book, but she was blushing. Mia watched her carefully as she tried to pretend to read. When she glanced up at Mia she met her eyes. Mia lifted her eyebrows suggestively before Hermione threw a book at her. Mia chuckled and packed up her things.

That Saturday in Hogsmead Mia dragged Gabe into Tomes and Scrolls. She pushed open the door to the old building and was greeted by the friendly odor of old books. The store was packed with tight shelves full of books and rolls of paper.

"Mr. Richards?" she asked, walking through the dimly lit shop.

"Who's there?" a gruff voice asked, muffled by shelves. A grey head appeared around a shelf, and while the eyes smiled, the edges of the old man's mouth turned down. "Ah, I have a few books I saved for ye."

Mr. Richards shuffled around the isle and moved towards the counter on the far end of the store, piled high with books. He rooted around through a few stacks before setting down a few thin volumes.

She had met the shop owner on a few trips she had taken with McGonagall to Hogsmeade her first and second year, and the man had learned she loved potions. When she hadn't appeared for a few months into her third year, he had owled her letting her know his dissatisfaction over having a book he believed perfect for her still cluttering up his shelves. Mia had been surprised the old man had remembered her and gone out of his way to find something for her. She had thanked him, paid for the book by owl, and told him she would be happy to help take similar books off his hands in the future.

It warmed her heart knowing he remembered her still.

She flipped through the books while Gabe wondered the stacks reading spines and flipping through yellowing pages. The first book was a comparison to muggle remedies and folklore, and the true magical cures associated. It looked fascinating. The second book was a record kept by an eighteenth century potions master detailing his failures. Apparently, he found them more important than his successes for documentation to future generations.

"Thank you, Mr. Richards. These are wonderful." She fiddled with the books for a moment while she wrestled with her words. "I'm also looking for a book by Falco Aesalon."

The old man's face grew speculative. "Branchin' out into transfiguration are ye? I do have a stack of old textbooks he wrote on the subject. Of course, it hasn't been used at Hogwarts for a few hundred years. There was some controversy over his private life that ended with the book being banned by most respected institutions."

He started towards the section of the store Gabe was investigating, but Mia stopped him. "Actually I'm looking for a memoir he wrote. It probably would be rare if it still exists."

Mr. Richards tapped his chin a few times before he returned to his desk. "I don't have it, but I can ask around for ye. If I can find it, it won't be cheap."

Mia thanked the man and bought the two books he had set aside for her. She and Gabe made their way to the three broomsticks for lunch.

Monday evening Mia received an owl from Mr. Richards, the bookshop owner in Hogsmead. Mia couldn't help thinking how quick that had been. He said he found the book she was looking for, but it was on the list of banned books for Hogwarts, and he couldn't in good conscience sell it to her. At the end he did mention if someone outside of Hogwarts was to ask for it, and it made its way to her, it would be out of his hands.

Mia sighed. There was only one answer. She would have to write to Sirius and ask him to buy it for her.

She headed to her room and got out a quill. She paused over the paper, unsure how to continue. Starting the letter is the hardest part. This wasn't a letter to both Sirius and Remus where she could just put Meadow Lake on the envelope, this was _to_ him. How should she address it? Dear Sirius? Dear Father? No, that's probably how Draco writes home. Finally, she gritted her teeth and just wrote out the three letters at the top of the paper.

_Dad,_

It made her stomach feel all fluttery and weird and she realized she was breathing a little heavy. She needed to get over this.

She ignored the greeting she'd written and wrote out the rest of her message. It really shouldn't be this hard.

_Dad,_

_I have a sort of weird question for you. There's a book I need for a project I'm working on. It's rare and sort of expensive, but the shop owner in Hogsmeade found a copy for me. The only problem is it's on the list of banned books for Hogwarts so he can't sell it to me. The book is Falco Aesalon, A Memoir. Would you be willing to purchase it and send it to me?_

_I know there are other ways I could go about getting it, but I don't want to get Mr. Richards the shop owner into any trouble, and after McGonagall was so mad about the whole animagus thing, I don't want to push my luck._

_I miss you and Remus, can't wait till Christmas break._

_Mia_

She folded the letter and took it to the owlery before she lost her nerve.

The next morning Mia and Gabe joined Harry and Hermione for breakfast. Harry looked pale and Hermione kept trying to shove food into his hands. Eventually, Professor McGonagall pulled Harry out of the great hall to get ready for the first task, and they wished him good luck. He was turning green.

Hermione looked worried and made an excuse before she left the great hall.

"Poor Harry, he looks terrified," Gabe said.

Mia shrugged and finished his pumpkin juice. "Probably just stage fright. He will be fine anyways. The tasks are supposed to be safe right? What do you think they will have them do?"

"I dunno. The tasks from years past were always so dangerous. I can't imagine what safer alternatives could be in place. Sounds like it could be a bit dull."

Mia sighed and started to get up. "I should have brought a book."

Gabe clapped her on the back as they started walking out of the great hall with the rest of the school. "We'll still have fun even if we have to watch them decorate hedges for an hour."

Mia laughed as they left the castle and followed the stream of people towards the forest. Just out of view of the castle, around the forbidden forest was a large tent. Walking around the ten they saw huge stadium bleachers that created a half circle around an enclosure. In the back of the enclosure were four curtained off sections.

To the left of the enclosure was a raised platform with a long table where the judges sat. Madame Maxime looked regal while Karkaroff looked anxious. Dumbledore looked casually amused while Crouch looked annoyed. Bagman was nowhere to be seen. Around the outside edges stood a number of older witches and wizards wands out looking tense.

"Maybe the hedges are behind each curtain," Gabe whispered.

Mia laughed as a whistle blew. Bagman came running out of the first tent towards the platform and the other judges, then he pointed his wand at his throat, and suddenly his voice was loud for all to hear as it had been a the Quidditch World cup.

"Welcome, welcome all, to the first task of the Tri Wizard Tournament. Now, the prize for the day is the GOLDEN EGG. Each of our Champions will come one by one, and will face whatever is behind their curtain. Their task is to get past the creature, and capture the golden egg beyond. Each Champion will be judged based on a range of skills and their marks tallied. Now, I believe it's time to start."

A whistle blew and the first curtain fell. Behind it was….

"That's not a hedge," Gabe said softly.

"That's a dragon," Mia said in shock.

"The Swedish Short-Snout!" Bagman yelled. "Our dragons are all nesting mothers, making them fiercely protective of their eggs. And here is our first contestant CEDRIC DIGGORY of HOGWARTS."

The watching crowd let out a cheer and the beautiful blue-grey dragon lifted its head in the air and roared. Something of the curtain must have been magical, dampening noise and preventing the dragon from leaving the small space. The dragon was beautiful. Gabe had given Mia a pair of dragon hide gloves for Christmas one year, they had been from a Swedish Short-Snout, and such a beautiful color. The live dragon was amazingly more beautiful. Her scales sparkled in the sun as she leaned down and nudged her eggs.

Cedric walked out of the first tent, looking tall and brave. His chin was in the air, and he looked like a hero from a fiction book. When he saw the dragon he crouched, wand in hand as though ready for anything.

Cedric walked slowly towards the dragon until he was close enough the dragon started paying attention to him. Then he bent over a large rock and started doing a spell.

"Wow, that's some high level transfiguration," Gabe said beside her as the rock turned into a small sandy colored Labrador.

"Oh, it's not a real dog right?" Mia asked. "We decided it wasn't real if it didn't really think right?"

Gabe patted her on the shoulder again as he watched the dragon. "Yeah, not real at all."

The dog started barking at the dragon, and Cedric crept away from the dog and closer to the dragon. It took a little while, the dragon keeping one eye on Cedric while sizing up the small dog, but the dog started taking long jumps at the dragon before backing away. The dragon took two long steps away from her eggs and Cedric ran for it. He darted towards the eggs and the dragon roared and blasted a wave of fire at him just as Cedric grabbed the egg. He took off running, one side of him looking black.

The crowd screamed in terror and the dragon tamers rushed in shooting spells at the dragon and ushering it back towards the eggs where they attached the curtain. Cedric was limping badly as Flitwick and Madam Pomfrey rushed to his side. They rushed him to a smaller tent with a healers emblem for treatment.

"Did you see his arm?" Mia asked, the image of the scorched bloody skin seared in her mind. "I thought they said this was going to be safe."

"They said they were going to try and keep down the death toll. Looks like safe isn't part of that," Gabe said in a soft shocked voice.

Mia shook her head. "How is Harry ever gonna manage?"

Fleur was next, facing off with a Welsh Green, her emerald scales shining in the sun. She approached the dragon slowly, her wand in the air at all times moving slowly back and forth, as though she was directing music. She looked like she was singing or humming a spell.

"Do you think she's using her Veela powers?" Gabe asked with awe.

Mia snorted. "I don't know if I believe she's really part Veela. Maybe all it takes is long silver hair and a laugh like little bells, and all you boys just melt."

"No, trust me, she's hit me with it a few times. It's real and it's bloody terible. Should be illegal to do that to someone unknowing."

Mia shot a quick glance at Gabe and saw he was glaring at the arena. It was true she had seen him staring at Fleur a few times over the last few weeks, and each time had made her feel sick. She had been spending most of her time in the library, not directly avoiding Gabe, but the distraction had helped the jumbled up jealousy she had felt at the thought of him longing after someone as pretty as Fleur.

"What does it feel like?" Mia asked.

Gabe glanced at her and then he let out a deep breath and his face relaxed. It's hard to say. Sort of like getting hit with the Imperius Curse, your mind goes blank, except instead of orders, the only thing you can think about is her, making her happy, seeing her smile. It's sick."

Mia frowned. She had hated that lesson, when Moody had hit them all with the Imperius Curse one by one and tried to teach them to throw it off. She hadn't liked being out of control of herself, and that, mixed with her anger is the only thing that helped her budge the curse. If Fleur was doing something like that to people casually, it was wrong.

"Does she do it often?"

Gabe shook his head. "I don't know. I try to avoid her, and the few times I was hit, she was talking to other people and it wasn't as hard to shake it off. I think maybe it's a reaction, like trying to get people to like you. Oh, here we go!"

The green dragon had just started falling asleep, as though Fleur had put it in a trance. She dared forward towards the egg and scooped it up. Then the dragons' spell broke and it shot flames at her, catching the edge of her skirt on fire. She put it out with water from her wand, as though not even phased as the dragon tamers rushed in.

Mia had to admit, she seemed kinda bad ass.

The next champion to walk out on the field was Viktor. Viktor on a broom at the Quidditch world cup had been strong, powerful and graceful. Viktor walking the halls of Hogwarts or the library was awkward almost bordering on clumsy. This Viktor was somewhere in between. He moved with drive and purpose, but the grace he had in the air was missing.

He moved around the arena, his knees bent and wand out. He shot a spell at the dragon's eye, making it go crazy. He dodged behind rocks, barely missing getting toasted as the dragon blasted fire all around. He shot little hexes at the dragons legs getting it to move and stomp and it smashed a number of its own eggs. The audience groaned and Mia felt a pang at the loss of life. Viktor shot another spell at the dragons other eye until both were red and swollen closed.

The dragon moved further and further from the eggs as he shot stinging hexes at its feet, then he moved in and scooped up the golden egg.

"Wow, that was fast," Gabe said.

"Yeah, he really is impressive," Mia said as she frowned down at the crushed eggs as the dragon tamers ushered the dragon back into its space. Before the curtain was raised blocking the dragon and its noise, she saw the mother lean down its long neck and nuzzle the broken eggs, a sad whining noise escaping.

The last curtain fell, showing the largest and most nasty dragon yet.

"And last but most definitely not least, we have the Hungarian Horntail!" Bagman yelled.

Finally, Harry emerged from the tent. He looked so small and pale. Compared to the other champions, he looked so pathetic and breakable. He walked a few paces out of the tent, raised his wand in the air, and said something and then… nothing. He stood there blankly for a few moments, then started looking around as though unsure.

"What is he doing?" Gabe asked.

"Maybe his spell didn't work? Oh merlin, how is he gonna do this?"

"Uh, not quite sure what the plan is here, how's it going Harry?" Bagman said. People around Mia chuckled nervously.

Just then something came flying around the tent straight at Harry. He reached out and caught his broom.

Everyone cheered.

When he mounted the broom, it was like something came over him. Harry took off far into the air in a graceful movement, then plummeted to the ground. He zoomed around the dragon's tail and around her head, making the dragon twist and spin trying to catch him. At one point the dragon's tail clipped his shoulder, but it was hard to tell with the speed how badly he was hurt. He dodged tail spikes and wings and claws and teeth, and so much fire. He always seemed just out of reach as he moved higher and higher, drawing the dragon slowly away from her eggs. At last she lifted up to her back feet, head extended into the air, and arms flapping behind her as she roared into the sky. As her front feet left the ground around the eggs, Harry darted down and scooped up the golden egg before he flew off. He did a victory lap around the stadium before landing near the first tent to the waving arms of McGonagall and Hagrid. They waved him off to the medical tent.

The Gryffindor common room was absolute chaos. Harry tied for first place and her whole house decided it was time to celebrate. Harry stood on a table, he'd told Ron and Fred the egg contained a clue, and now everyone wanted to see it. Harry opened the egg and out came a piercing terrible screech. Mia covered her ears and made her way up the girl's staircase to grab her books. By the time she escaped out of the portrait hole to head to the library, the egg was closed and everyone was laughing or trying to mimic the mermaid song. No way was she staying in the tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there it is! How did you like seeing the first task from the audiences perspective? Hope your day is going wonderful <3


	123. Girl Talk

The library was peacefully empty. Mia picked her usual table and wrote a quick note in her Message Book for Gabe, just in case he got bored celebrating with the Ravenclaws. She grabbed her old trusty book 'Every Potions Ingredient Known and How to Use it: At Least the Ones the Ministry Lets You Know About' and spread out her potions recipes and notes for the Animagus potion, the Wolfsbane potion, and her failed secret potions project. She started going line by line through each potion taking notes as she went. Somewhere in here was a clue to what had gone wrong with her last attempt, and she was set on finding it.

Someone moved through the shelves to the left and Mia turned to see Viktor lurking around a shelf. Mia gave him a little wave and he paused, then walked over on unsure feet. "Why aren't you off celebrating with the rest of your school?"

Viktor shrugged his big shoulders but didn't meet her eyes. "Not really my thing."

"Well I can relate to that, but how did you manage to escape?"

Viktor smiled just slightly, a small upturn to his mouth. "That is easy. I frown and grunt that I need alone time to contemplate my thoughts. Everyone starts apologizing and I flee."

Mia laughed. "Are you working on your mermaid clue then?"

Viktor frowned. "Mer-maid?" He fumbled over the word. "I do not know this word."

"Yeah, you know, half person half fish, lives in the lake? Has a loud screeching voice when it's not under water?"

Viktor's eyes went up as if he was realizing something. "Morska sirena," he said in a language Mia didn't know.

Mia got a sinking feeling. "Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that?"

Viktor smiled big and bright, it lit up his face. "No, I do not think you should have, but I thank you." He bowed. "Tell me, do you know vere your friend is? Hermy-own?"

Mia chuckled. "It's Her-my-oh-nee. I think she's up celebrating with Harry."

Viktor was frowning again. "Hermy-own-nee. Are her and Harry…" He trailed off looking uncomfortable.

"They're friends," Mia said quickly. "Like brother and sister. She is very much single."

Viktor smiled again, not the huge a-force-like-the-sun smile, but a small one that was mostly in the eyes. He bowed again. "I am in your debt," he said before he turned.

Behind him was Gabe, his own book bag over his shoulder. He frowned at Viktor as he passed. Mia was surprised to note that Gabe was nearly as tall as Viktor, and based on the way he ate at meals he still wasn't done growing. The thought made her smile softly as her friend sat in the chair next to her. Viktor made his way towards the back of the library.

"What was that about?" Gabe asked.

Mia sighed. "I think I just accidentally helped him with the second task."

"What?!"

Mia explained about the mermaid comment. "Pounce likes chasing after them when they sun themselves on the edge of the lake. The noise they make isn't something you can forget."

"And now the Durmstrang champion has a leg up on the competition," Gabe said with disgust.

"It's not my fault, I wasn't thinking."

"Right, because he's just so impressive I'm sure all thought leaves your mind and you just tell him anything he wants to hear. No wonder you've been spending so much time in the library."

Mia frowned. Had he just implied she was into Viktor? Anger built in her chest and she started packing up her papers. Gabe didn't say a word as she stormed out of the library. She would take her work out to the quidditch pitch. It was empty with quidditch being canceled this year. The cold air did little to cool her anger. She couldn't believe Gabe would accuse her of helping Viktor because she liked him. What did it even matter if she did? Gabe and her were just friends, weren't they? If he wanted to be more, he would have said something by now. Instead, it was always just left up to her to explain they weren't in a relationship when people made comments or she needed to diffuse the situation between Sirius and him.

That night she told Hermione what she had told Viktor. She would know if it was right to tell Harry, and anyone else. Mia could at least even out the wrongs she had committed.

Thursday during Transfiguration Professor McGonagall ended the class with a reminder about the Yule Ball. Parvati and Lavender giggled nonstop and most of the boys seemed to be more unsure. Mia had to admit, it did seem like it would be fun, but the whole thing seemed like too much of a distraction. If she went home she could spend the time working on her secret potions project. McGonagall referenced dancing and general merriment, and Gabe sighed next to Mia and slouched in his seat. She wasn't sure what he was so upset about. He could still go, and would probably have dozens of dance partners. Mia saw the fifth year Ravenclaw girl, Marietta in her mind's eye, and a sick feeling filled her chest. She promptly pushed it away as the bell rang and they headed for dinner.

Gabe joined her at the Gryffindor table, and as if summoned by her negative thoughts, Marietta and Cho stopped by to say hi to Gabe. Harry sitting nearby choked on his pumpkin juice when Cho said hi to him.

Marietta turned to Mia with a big fake smile. "So Mia, what are you planning on wearing to the Yule Ball?"

"I'm not going," she said shortly as an owl flew into the hall, a large book like package tied to its leg. The owl landed gracefully right in front of her and Mia smiled.

"Oh, that's such a shame!" Marietta said. "Gabe, whoever will you go with now?" she said as though it was a given Gabe would be going with Mia. It's not like they were a couple. She untied the package and thanked the owl as it flew off. The letter on the top of the package was addressed to Mia Bell, in Sirius' messy handwriting.

"Uh," Gabe stammered. "I hadn't really thought about it."

"Well, you should. There are a lot of great girls, even right in your own house who I'm sure would be honored to go with you."

Mia set the letter aside and ripped open the paper a little more forcefully than she wanted. It was an old book, the binding cracking, but clearly written was Falco Aesalon. Sirius had come through.

"Yeah, I dunno. I will have to think about it," Gabe said cryptically as Mia opened the letter and started reading. She had to read the first line a few times as Marietta and Cho left.

"That's just not fair," Ron said. "You don't even have to ask to get one to go with you. Harry, how are we gonna manage that?"

Harry just shook his head, a desperate look on his face. "Speak for yourself. You don't even need a date. I have to open the bloody ball with one of them." He looked at Ron with a panicked look. "Dance. With one of _them_. What the bloody hell am I gonna do?"

Ron pat his friend on the back sympathetically. "So who you gonna go with Gabe? Sounds like you have your pick."

She had only read the first part of Sirius' letter, the part where he insisted she stay for the Ball, and her chest was filled with uncomfortable pressure. "Yeah Gabe, you should just ask Marietta and get it over with. That way you won't be swarmed with all the girls every break and meal till Christmas." The words just fell out, and Mia didn't know how to take them back.

"Well, maybe I will," Gabe said shortly. Mia felt a stabbing pain in her chest and picked up her book and letter.

"Good!" She headed off to the library to read her new book. She re-read Sirius' letter as she went.

_Mia Bell,_

_Don't be stupid kid, stay at Hogwarts for the Ball. It will be way more fun than spending it here with us old men. Maybe I will take Moony and we can go on holiday. Somewhere sunny._

_I picked up your expensive banned book for you. Forgive me, I had to give it a read. Tell me, were you interested in the weird reference to werewolves, or the author's colorful sex life? Please tell me it's the werewolves. I really don't want to know what you and your wolf boy get up to. Maybe it's irresponsible of me, but there are some things a father is just better off not knowing._

_Thank you again for your potions this month. If it's getting in the way of your school work, I can find somewhere to buy the bloody Wolfsbane potion, and the chocolate magic you send me, I'm sure I can find someone else to brew it. It's not worth your grades._

_Don't think for a moment Moony and I haven't noticed your letters have been stunningly empty of any personal details. Where are the pranks? Where's the rule breaking? Instead, you write about getting legal with the ministry, and about Harry's chaos with the tournament, and write asking for a_ **book** _. Can you at least try and break a rule for me before Christmas break?_

_Always yours, loving and approving, and not wanting to hear about your sex life,_

_Dad_

Mia laughed out loud at the signature, and hurried to the library to read the book. She wanted to know what was so bad as to make Sirius hope she was researching about werewolves. She sat in a chair opposite of Hermione and started reading the memoir.

"Mia."

Mia jumped and closed the book quickly as if to hide the text she was reading. She looked up to see Hermione staring at her. "What?"

"What on earth are you reading?"

"Uhhh, what do you mean?"

"Well, your face is bright red and you keep giggling."

Mia set down the book and put the back of her hand against her cheek. It was hot. She looked up at Hermione guiltily. "You don't want to know."

Hermione set down her quill. "Well, now I really want to know.

A tall sullen form approached over Hermione's shoulder, and the girl sat up straight as if knowing what was coming.

Viktor approached the table and bowed. "Sorry to interrupt. Hermy-own-nee, vould you mind taking a valk vith me?"

Hermione sighed and picked up her quill again as if she would keep writing. "If you need help finding a book, Madam Pince would be happy to help."

"But you are so much quicker at it than she is," Viktor said with a small grin. "And so much better at telling me ven I am being stupid."

"Oh fine," Hermione set down her quill again and stood up stomping down a row of shelves. Viktor grinned brilliantly and winked at Mia as he followed.

Seeing them made Mia's heart hurt. She had been stupid with Gabe. It had hurt her to hear him considering asking someone else, and now he probably had asked Marietta. Reading the shocking contents of the book had made her forget, but now it had all come back. Mia opened the book back up and skipped a few pages until the author was no longer using words that made her blush. She couldn't believe Sirius had read this and still sent it to her. She would have to explain about her research. It was the only way she could look him in the eyes ever again.

Skipping a few more pages, Mia found it. The author was referencing the original potion that had caused the original potions master to develop lupinism. Mia got out her notes and started writing. A few minutes later Hermione fell back into her chair. She wasn't moving. Mia looked up and saw her friend staring blankly, her eyes wide and her cheeks pink.

"What happened?" Mia asked.

Hermione blinked. "He asked me to be his date at the Yule Ball." Hermione's eyes focused on Mia, and her shock turned to something else as she saw Mia was grinning fiercely.

"Tell me you said yes."

Hermione started giggling. After a few minutes of uncontrollable giggling as Mia enjoyed the moment with Hermione, Hermione stopped and looked around. "Why did he ask me?" she asked with a hint of panic.

"Probably because you're really pretty, and maybe because you don't treat him like some god. I bet he likes that."

Hermione shook her head and covered her face. "Oh, I wish you were going to be here!"

"Well actually," Mia started. She explained that Sirius didn't want her missing it. "But I don't even have a dress yet."

"Oh, that's easy enough to fix. Lavender has order forms in the dorm. Oh, you and Gabe will be so cute!"

Mia sighed and flopped back in her chair. "He's probably already asked someone else." Mia felt stupid, but she explained about her argument in the great hall.

Hermione frowned. "Well, if he does ask someone else, it will only be his loss. Come on, let's go look at dresses."

Lavender did have a catalog, filled with dresses that were ten times better than anything she had seen in Diagon Alley. She was debating between one that was a light blue silk something, with ruffles and a pretty shall, or one that was midnight blue satin around the neckline, dotted with star like crystals, and faded to a pale blue at the hem.

"I say go with the ombre one. The neckline will really show off your girls," Lavender said, looking at Mia's choices.

Parvati nodded emphatically. "You're lucky you have something to show off, and now is the time."

Mia blushed. "But McGonagall said she didn't want us to embarrass her."

"Oh honey," Lavender put a hand on Mia's leg like they were old friends. "She wasn't talking about cleavage."

It was expensive but Sirius was always going on and on about how she never bought anything other than books and potion ingredients. He'd be happy to know she bought something as silly as a frilly dress right? Especially if he knew how indecent it was. The thought made Mia grin and she filled out the papers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh relationship drama!!   
> I'm trying to finish up this fic this weekend, year 7 is all I have left!! I can't believe how close we are!! and all chapters will be live before the end of the month 0_o unless year 7 is way longer than I think it will be. But hopefully I will get it done this weekend. I'm also getting my book fully published for pre order this weekend. It's up on almost every site right now in Ebook form, but the print hardback will take another week or so. It's just so crazy that everything is finally coming together. if any of you would like a free ARC ebook copy of my book (Advanced Reader Copy) in exchange for an honest review, you can let me know here: https://www.hmwrites.com/betasignup


	124. Sorting things out

"Woah, what's that?" Gabe asked as he slid into a chair next to Mia at her usual table in the library.

"A letter to Sirius with beach recommendations for Christmas." It was a long letter. Mia hoped if she crammed in enough useless information, he would forget about the book, and the weird things the book said. Hermione had a few great beach recommendations she passed on.

"Oh cool, you guys are going to a beach?"

"No, just him and Remus. They want me to stay here for the ball."

There was a long pause. "Why didn't you tell me?" Gabe asked softly.

"I didn't think it mattered," Mia said as she kept writing. She didn't like thinking about him asking someone else to go, but she didn't want to admit that even more.

Gabe was silent for a long time as he watched her write. "I think you addressed that wrong, it says 'Dad' instead of 'Um'."

Mia glared at him, but he was smiling sadly and she didn't want to fight anymore.

Colin Creevey came up to their desk and dropped a box heavily onto the table. "Mia! I keep forgetting to talk to you. I have some pictures for you that I've taken over the last three years. What with getting petrified most of second year I lost track of a few rolls, and then kept forgetting last year."

Mia wondered quietly to herself if he had forgotten last year or if he was just too scared of her last year to approach, what with her dad being a murderer and on the run and everything.

"Anyways, let me see." He opened the box and started rifling through the pictures. First came out one of Mia with Fred and George, their heads bent over a paper at a table in the common room. Next was one of her and Hermione working in the library. Then one of her and Gabe working in the library, followed by one of her and Gabe eating at the Gryffindor table, one of her working in the hospital wing. Most of them were mundane things, eating or doing homework, but together they started to piece together a picture of her time at Hogwarts, the friends she'd had even when she didn't quite realize it. Lastly, he stuck on top a picture of Mia and Gabe just outside of the hospital wing, Gabe was scarlet red, his hair and eyebrows a shining gold. And Mia was looking up at him fondly. He was frowning in the picture, then he would turn and look at her and shove her to the side before smiling down at her.

"I love this one of both of you. It's my favorite. I hope you don't mind I kept a copy. So are you two going to the Yule Ball? Stinks that third years can't go! I doubt any older girls are going to ask me. It would be weird you know? I'm shorter than most people in my year. I will definitely be shorter than any fourth years or above! So are you guys going!?"

Something within Mia broke a little after looking at all the old pictures and with her sadness and frustration with Gabe over the last few weeks. "No Colin we aren't together we're just friends," Mia snapped.

She hated that question, the one that implied they were together and at that moment Mia realized why. It was because when somebody asked and implied that they were together, Mia then had to inform them no they weren't, much to her sadness and frustration. She wanted to be with Gabe, and she couldn't hide it from herself any longer. She picked up her letter and the pictures on the table and left the library before she started crying. What was the point in buying an expensive dress if she wasn't wearing it for the person she wanted to?

* * *

A few days before break Mia and Gabe joined Harry, Ron, Hermione and the twins at the Gryffindor table for lunch.

"So. . . you lot got dates for the ball yet?" George asked them.

"Nope," said Ron.

Mia pulled out a letter she had been writing to Sirius and tried to ignore the conversation.

"Well, you'd better hurry up, mate, or all the good ones will be gone," Fred said.

"Who're you going with, then?" Ron asked.

"Angelina," said Fred promptly, with a little pride in his voice.

"What?" Ron was shocked. "You've already asked her?"

"Good point," Fred turned and called across the great hall. "Oi! Angelina!"

Angelina had been chatting with a Ravenclaw at their table and looked over at him. "What?" she called back.

"Want to come to the ball with me?"

Angelina looked Fred over with a little grin.

"All right, then," she said, and turned back to her conversation with a small smile.

"There you go," Fred said before taking a bite of his sandwich. "Piece of cake."

George stood and walked closer to Mia, who was trying to focus on her letter. He leaned over in between Gabe and Mia till one elbow was on the table, and his chin rested softly in his hand, his head completely blocking her view of Gabe.

"So, Amelia, I hear you aren't attached for the ball yet," he said, his voice taking on a deep raspy tone. Mia set down her quill and looked at George as he smiled at her. She wasn't sure what his game was and she wasn't sure she wanted to know. "So anyways, I was thinking since you don't have a date or anyone else who's interested in going with you, you might want to go with–"

Gabe took that moment to tackle George to the ground.

"Ouch! Adewumi!" Gabe got in one good punch on George's stomach before George put his hands in the air and yelled. "I surrender! I surrender!" Gabe stopped fighting and looked down at the redhead underneath him as though he was confused. "I bequeath the lady's hand to you, Sir Gabriel the wise," George said with a grin.

Gabe turned and looked up at Mia from the floor. "Hey Mia, do you want to go to the Yule Ball with me?"

Over Gabe's shoulder, George mouthed 'you're welcome' at her. Mia picked up her letter and stood up from the table. "Boys are so stupid!" she yelled as she left the hall.

"Mia!"

Mia ignored Gabe's call and took off up the staircase heading for the Owlery where she could finish her letter in peace. Footsteps chased after her and Gabe caught up pulling her to a stop in the middle of the intersection on the third floor.

"Mia will you wait for just a second!"

"What Gabe? What could you possibly want?!"

"You haven't given me an answer."

"What? So just because George Weasley asked me to the ball you suddenly want to go?"

"No, I've wanted to go with you since they announced there was going to be a Triwizard Tournament at the beginning of term."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Maybe because you were so insistent on going home for the break, or maybe because anytime anybody ever brought you and me up you would start yelling and insisting that we were _just friends_."

"But we are just friends."

"Not by my choice! You acted like you didn't want me to ask you!"

"I didn't want you to not ask me, I just figured you didn't feel that way about me, and it was weird."

"Mia, I've had a crush on you since first year. Ever since you made that pin cushion explode in transfiguration and peppered Neville's left side full of pins." Gabe was grinning stupidly when he said it. "You didn't even know I existed back then."

"Why would you have a crush on me for being a total screw up?"

"You're not a total screw up. You're the most brilliant, funny, beautiful, hilarious witch I've ever met in my life." He stepped forward and grabbed her hand, his warm copper eyes were filled with love as he met hers. "The only times I've ever been foolish or reckless in my entire life was when I thought it would impress you, and I would do it all over again just for the chance to be your friend." He took a step closer. "But I don't just want to be your friend, I want more." He leaned in closer to Mia till they were inches apart.

A deep male voice cleared their throat and Gabe and Mia jumped as one and turned to see McGonagall and Snape standing side by side watching them from the entrance to the next corridor.

Snape's arms were crossed and he had a look of absolute disgust on his face.

McGonagall had one hand gripping her bunched robes at her neckline. "Oh my, don't stop on my account," she said.

"I think it's time I consider retiring," Snape said in a dull voice.

"Oh no, on the contrary," McGonagall started. "This is better than any book Filius has ever loaned me."

Mia had no words for the two teachers and apparently neither did Gabe for he grabbed her hand and pulled her up the stairs past the two teachers.

"No canoodling in the Owlery!" Professor McGonagall called after them.

They were laughing in hysterics by the time they reached the fifth floor and had to stop and catch their breath by a statue.

"Did you really beat up George because he was going to ask me out?"

Gabe's chuckles faded and he shook his head. "I don't know what came over me. It's like I snapped. But to be honest he didn't fight back, I think it's what he was planning for."

"I don't know if he expected you to attack him, but I think the end results were what he was planning for. He mouthed 'you're welcome' over your shoulder when you asked me. But I think you took him by surprise by tackling him."

Gabe laughed sheepishly. "Sorry. I said it before. Sometimes I have a hard time thinking rationally when it comes to you."

Mia blushed and looked away.

"No." He put a gentle hand on her cheek and turned her face back to him till their eyes connected. "Don't throw up walls or try to get out of this. Just be real with me for a moment. What do you want Mia? You know what I want."

His eyes were like a living force drilling into her. She wanted to break the stare, to look away and escape from the feelings cascading inside of her but she couldn't. "I want you,'' she said at last.

He smiled and it was a million times more powerful than any smile Viktor could have made. It lit up his whole face, his whole person, and lit up her soul. "Good." He laced his fingers with hers. "You have me. Now let's go mail your letter."

They didn't talk again about love or things of the heart or what they wanted from each other. Instead, it was enough just to be together. There had been a wall between them for the last few months and Mia hadn't really realized it was there until it was gone. They were back to their easy ways but now it meant more.

She told Gabe at last about her secret potions project. She wasn't sure anymore why she had been keeping it a secret, as though he would think her a failure for not having been successful on her first attempt.

"Mia that's brilliant," he said when she was done explaining it.

"But it's not. Not yet. I still haven't figured it out. It's like there's something I'm missing. It's like the color changing potion I used on you all over again, there was an element I was missing, the spell work conflicting with the potion, but with this, it's different because the potion doesn't even work by itself. I just don't know what I'm missing."

"You'll get it eventually I know you will. You're brilliant."

"Or I won't. If it was easy someone else would have done it already. I don't know why I think I'm so special that I could do it."

"Well it's like you said with the color changing potion, there was a factor you didn't think about. And you were a second year so it's not like it's such a big crime. And now, you're only 14. Even if you shelve this for a year and come back to it when you know more, that doesn't make you a failure."

"Right," Mia said to herself. She thought back to her past failures. There was something else integral to the process she was missing. She had a thought, and it wasn't a very good one because if she was right then she was either going to need the help of Sirius or Remus if she wanted to try her potion before the end of the year. She couldn't tell Remus. She didn't know how he would respond. Would he be angry or upset? She could ask Sirius but... He had humored her so far, taking her at her word and trusting her to know what she was doing with the potion she made for him, but this was so much bigger. Would he trust her in this?

When they headed back to the great hall for dinner, Mia saw Fred talking with Angelina and George sitting nearby, eating.

She stopped Gabe. "Do you care if I screw with George a little?"

Gabe smiled wickedly. "Only if I can watch."

Mia laughed softly and told him to wait by the entrance to the great hall. She passed Hermione, eating as she was reading a book, and dropped into the seat next to George. Mia screwed up her face like one of the girls she saw watching Viktor in the library. "Oh George, I know we got interrupted earlier, and I'm so sorry. It took me too long to come to terms with my true feelings. Ask me again Georgie!"

George's mouth hung open, and part of his food fell out and onto the table. Mia covered her mouth and giggled like she thought he was adorable.

"Uhhhhhh," George stammered. "Sorry Mia, but I kinda like girls with... bigger heads." He looked over her shoulder, then away.

Mia snorted. "Bigger heads? That's the best you can do?"

"Yeah Georgie," Fred put his hand on his twin's shoulder. "You can't just let a girl down like that!"

Gabe was by her side then, and she stood and laced fingers with him as they sat a seat away. George looked immeasurably relieved. "No hard feelings about me tackling you, yeah?" Gabe asked.

"You two work yourselves out then?" Fred asked glancing between Mia and Gabe.

She looked at Gabe and he smiled back at her. He squeezed her hand three times under the table. "Yeah I think we have," he told Fred.

"Good," George said as he took a big bite of potatoes and talked around the food. "Then you are forgiven."

"Just make sure you treat our girl right," Fred said.

"Or we'll have words again," George finished.

Mia snorted and asked Hermione how she felt about their potions assignment on antidotes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Was it worth the wait?? It's not over yet people, get ready for the Yule ball!!


	125. The Yule Ball

A few days later, the owl landed in front of Mia in the great hall, and Hermione asked Mia if the package was what she thought it was. Mia looked at the address and smiled.

"Let's go look at it!" Hermione cried. They rushed up to the Gryffindor common room and Mia opened the box and pulled out her dress. What she thought in the pictures had been star-like crystals catching the light, were in fact actual stars made out of a soft glowing light. They twinkled subtly to draw your eye down the bodice and the waistline without being garish or obnoxious.

"Oh, Mia! It's beautiful! Try it on!"

She did. It was perfect.

* * *

They had SO much homework for Christmas break. It was as if the teachers wanted to dampen any happiness or merriment they could.

Fred and George debut their Canary Creams and they were a huge success. They tried to give Mia a cut of the profits but she shook her head. "When you're ready to open your shop, let me know and I will invest." By the end of the week, people were breaking out into feathers all over the school as they transformed into large yellow birds.

Christmas morning found Mia and Gabe enjoying breakfast together. Gabe had given her an empty photo album with an embossed tiger on the leather cover. She gave him an old copy of an Auror training manual. They spent the rest of the morning in the forest with the wolves, frolicking in the snow as wolf and tiger. After lunch in the great hall, they curled up in the library with books until five when she went to get ready with Hermione.

Mia helped Hermione with a series of potions she used on her hair till it lay straight and silky smooth. Fay did Mia's hair in a pretty updo with soft curls hanging around her face, and Lavender did her makeup. They all chatted and laughed about the ball like they had all been the best of friends for the past four years. Mia tried to relax and just be in the moment, forgetting past wrongs as Lavender spread shiny glitter on her eyelids. It was amazing how something so trivial as a ball could bring them all together.

When she was ready she headed for her bed where she had laid out her dress. Parvati taught her a cool charm to remove wrinkles, but it didn't look like the dress needed it. Her message book buzzed softly on her bedside table, and she opened it to read a few messages from Gabe.

" _So is it really gonna take you the full three hours? We could hang out in the library if you're done early."_

" _Roger says there's a rose garden set up outside of the main entrance filled with fairies. We could go check it out if you're done early."_

" _So this book says special skills are a big advantage for Auror training. Do you think I could learn occlumency before seventh year?"_

" _Wow, it's really gonna take you the whole three hours then? Mia, you are beautiful every day, what could possibly take you so long? COME HANG OUT WITH ME!"_

" _Well, it's five to eight. I'll meet you in the entrance hall next to the suit of armor with the bent helmet. Can't wait to see you."_

He drew a little heart next to the last part, and Mia smiled, her stomach filling with butterflies.

She put on her dress robes, and went to adjust them in the big mirror. Lavender cat called, and Parvati sighed as she looked from Mia's chest to her own. Once they were all ready they left their room and headed down to the common room. Harry waved awkwardly at Parvati. He looked nice, a little uncomfortable, but compared to Ron in his ugly, frayed dress robes, Harry looked dashing.

"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked her aggressively.

Mia rolled her eyes. "She left early to go meet up with her date."

"You know who it is?"

"Of course I do, but I'm not telling you, you've been a jerk to her."

"I have?" Ron asked as though totally surprised. "When have I been rude?"

"You pretend like she's nothing until you realize you need her. Then you get mad, shes not available, like you expect her only role in the world is to be your friend. Then you spend the next week harassing her for having a life outside of you. What girl wouldn't want someone like you in their life, Ron?"

Ron's ear turned pink and he snorted and turned from Mia. She shook her head and left the common room to go meet Gabe.

Gabe was waiting on the landing of the second floor. Mia stopped at the top of the staircase and watched him. He was pacing a little and hadn't noticed her yet. He made an impressive figure in his dress robes, a beautiful dark blue that complimented her dress perfectly. His shoulders were broad and his hair was twisted into soft curls with a hard part on the side, and when he looked up at her he smiled wide, then his face relaxed and was filled with something else as their eyes connected. She was breathing heavy now, but she wasn't quite sure why. She walked down the staircase, and when she reached the bottom he held out his hand and pulled her close. Neither one said a word as they looked each other over. Finally, Mia broke the silence.

"I thought you were going to wait by the armor with the bent helmet?"

"Apparently half the school had the same idea. Mia, you look…"

Mia smiled. "You too."

"Come on you too! We're gonna be late!" Parvati said as she swept past them, Harry and Ron following sulkily behind.

Gabe stuck out his arm, and Mia put hers through his, and he escorted her the rest of the way. She felt like she was floating.

The great hall was beautiful. The walls were covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. A hundred smaller, lantern-lit tables were spread around the room.

Gabe led her to a table with a Beauxbaton boy and Hufflepuff girl already sitting at it, and held the chair for Mia to sit. Draco slid into the chair on her other side, and pulled Pansy Parkinson down with him. Blaze and a Slytherin Mia didn't know sat in the other spare chairs, and Crabbe and Goyle had to find another table.

"You look lovely, dear cousin," Draco said to her. She rolled her eyes in response.

Pansy leaned around Draco and smiled fakely at Mia. "Your boobs look amazing, Black."

"Thanks, Pansy, love your eyebrow ring." The girl grinned and sat back in her seat.

Once everyone found their seats, the doors to the great hall opened and the champions and their partners walked arm in arm, led by McGonagall to the head table. Hermione looked amazing and was smiling brightly on Viktor's arm.

"Is that _Hermione_ with Viktor Krum?" Pansy asked, her voice shocked.

"Yep," Mia said with a smile. Draco made a weird choking noise and Mia pat him on the back. Everyone clapped and cheered as the champions entered and headed to a table with the judges.

"Is that Ron's brother Percy sitting where Mr. Crouch should be?" Gabe asked.

Mia looked and saw the redhead sitting at the head table next to Harry. "I think it is. How weird."

"Alright, let's see what's good." Gabe picked a menu off the plate in front of him and started looking it over.

Mia picked up her own menu, a little unsure of the process.

"So are you two official then?" Draco asked Mia distracting her from the food.

"Yep," she said with confidence. Gabe looked at her and they smiled at each other. Butterflies again blossomed in her stomach.

"Don't get the Garlic Chicken then Adewumi. Not a great way to set the mood," Draco snickered.

"Thanks for the tip Draco," Gabe said, unfazed. "Porkchops," Gabe announced, and the food appeared on his plate. Mia ordered the same. Their small talk was weirdly pleasant. Mia didn't think she had ever said a word to Pansy or the other Slytherins, but now they all chatted like old friends. Blaze asked Gabe about their transfiguration exams, and the other Slytherin girl, a third year, complemented Mia's dress. The Beauxbaton boy and Hufflepuff girl seemed too entranced in the other's company to pay them any attention.

When the food was gone Dumbledore stood and asked everyone in the room to stand with him. He waved his wand and the chairs and tables raced to the edges of the room, and a platform raised from the floor, musical instruments appearing on it. The Weird Sisters marched into the room and onto the stage, and Mia cheered along with everyone else. Sirius loved the Weird Sisters, and Mia had grown to like them over the summer.

The Weird Sisters started a slow song Mia didn't know well, and the champions and their dates moved to the center of the room and started dancing. Harry tripped over his robes and stepped on Parvati's feet a few times while the girl hissed instructions at him and led. Mia chuckled as they passed and she turned her head so he wouldn't see, burying her face in Gabe's chest. Gabe's arm fell around her and pulled her closer.

Halfway through the dance Dumbledore tuned to Madame Maxime, and they joined the dance, couples all over the hall started joining then, and Gabe pulled Mia into the mix. "Come on."

"Wait! Gabe, I don't know how," she whispered.

"Don't worry, you don't have to do anything fancy, just follow my lead."

He held her hand and put the other on her waist. Mia reached up and put her hand on his shoulder. He was so much taller than her.

Gabe's eyes danced with joy as he looked down at her. "Ready? Take one step to your left." And then they were dancing. Gabe was amazing at it. He led her in a small circle until she started to relax, and then he threw more complicated moves in like prompting her to spin. They laughed and pointed out other couples, and talked quietly about nothing while they danced.

Moody was doing a two-step with Professor Sinistra, and Karkaroff danced with Professor Sprout. After a few songs, they sat down near Harry while Ron and Hermione argued over Viktor. Mia rolled her eyes and Gabe chuckled. When Ron started shouting Gabe stepped between them.

"Hey Ron, how about we go get some punch before you say something you'll regret?" Gabe asked. When Ron turned to yell at him he grabbed his arm and pulled him off.

Hermione dropped into the seat next to her and took a deep breath looking away. Mia handed her a tissue. "Just shake it off. He's an ass. Don't let it ruin your night with Viktor."

Hermione let out one sob and then took a deep breath. She looked up and dotted her eyes. "Right, don't let him ruin things. How's my makeup?" She turned to Mia.

Mia took the tissue from her and rubbed a little spot of eyeliner. "Perfect. Seriously, Hermione, you deserve someone who looks at you the way Viktor does. I think he really likes you."

Hermione giggled and smiled softly, any trace of anger or frustration totally vanished. Fred, Angelina, George, and Katie Bell fell into seats near Mia.

"Sweltering, isn't it?" Fred asked as he fanned himself with a napkin.

George collapsed in his own chair. "I don't think I can get up."

"Come on Katie, let's go get these oafs some drinks so they can keep dancing," Angelina said as she dragged her friend along.

George picked himself up and looked at Hermione across from him. "You look absolutely stunning Granger. A true flower among thorns. Although I think I liked your hair more before."

"Oh spare me," Hermione said rolling her eyes.

"No, really. I mean it Hermione, you are a dove."

Hermione looked on confused for a moment, then smiled as Viktor and Gabe returned with drinks for her and Mia. Mia watched George for a moment as he frowned slightly and turned to his brother. Mia thought about it for a moment. Hermione did kind of have a big head.

Viktor pulled Hermione into another dance, and she went off laughing joyfully.

"What did you do with Ron?" Mia asked.

"Stuffed him in a closet," Gabe said before taking a drink of the punch, he looked at it accusingly. Don't drink too much of this, someone dumped something into it."

"It's vodka," Fred said with a smile. He grabbed Mia's glass and drained it in one go.

Mia chuckled and took a sip of Gabe's. Her throat was dry, but the punch didn't help. She coughed and handed back the cup. "Did you really lock him in a closet?" she asked.

Gabe sighed. "No. I told him not to take his anger out on others just because he was mad at himself for not seeing something right in front of him. Then I took away his wand when he decided to point it at me." Gabe handed the wand to George. "Think you can get that back to him? He went off to bed I think."

George took the wand and said something rude about his brother.

"Come on, let's go look at the garden," Gabe said, pulling Mia away. She smiled and let herself be dragged.

"Oh cousin," Draco called after her.

Gabe stopped short and Mia ran into him. They laughed while he made sure she didn't fall, and they turned to Draco.

Draco sighed as though pained. "Will you and your beanstalk join me and Pansy in the photo booth?" he asked with a slight grimace.

"What?" Mia asked laughing.

He sighed. "My mother asked me to get a picture with all of us together," he said quietly.

Mia turned to Gabe. "Do you mind?"

He smiled. "No, we can get one of just us while we are at it."

They made their way to the other side of the room and stood in the queue. Flitwick stood on a big stool snapping pictures of each couple. When it was their turn, they all filed into the both and stood side by side. Pansy on the far end, with Draco, then Mia, and finally Gabe.

Professor Flitwick told them to smile but didn't take the picture. "No, no, no, can't you four at least pretend to be having a good time? I said smile!"

Mia laughed and grabbed Gabe's hand, then threw her other arm around Draco's shoulder surprising him. Flitwick snapped the picture.

"There, your mum will love that one," Mia said brightly. Draco made a rude hand gesture at her as he and Pansy left. "Love you too," she called after him.

Gabe wrapped his arm around her for the second picture, and they stood side by side as Flitwick snapped the picture. Mia couldn't think she could be happier. "Shall we see the rose garden then?" she asked Gabe.

He smiled and took her arm, pulling it through his as he led her outside. It was cold, but the sharp chill was nice after the heat of the entrance hall. Gabe wrapped his outer clock around Mia's shoulders, and they wandered through the garden watching the fairies dance around the flowers. They came upon a dark corner along the castle and Gabe pulled her into the shadows and drew her near. He leaned in and they kissed.

It was magic. Mia felt like she was floating through the air with only Gabe's soft lips as an anchor to keep her down.

There was a bang just out of sight. A very small part of Mia's brain wondered what the sound was, but the thought was gone as Gabe ran a hand over the small of her back and her fingers ran over the short hair on the back of his head.

There was a louder bang followed by squeals and Mia and Gabe jumped apart. A few students ran past them hand in hand, and Snape called a deduction of house points after them. Snape had a small smile on his face as he turned and blasted another bush apart to reveal hidden students.

Mia and Gabe shared a breathless look and headed back inside. They spent the rest of the night dancing happily alongside Hermione and Viktor, and the twins and their dates. When midnight came they reluctantly headed for the stairs, Gabe gave Mia a small kiss on the cheek as they parted ways. Not even Fred snickering behind her could ruin her perfect night.

They had finished their massive amounts of homework the week leading up to Christmas, so the days following were spent walking hand in hand around the castle, stealing small kisses in shadows, and playing in the forest with the wolves. On his birthday Mia gave Gabe a proper wand holster that could be worn on his arm to draw his wand in an instant. He loved it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone enjoy doing fan art? If anyone makes any of Gabe and Mia let me know :] I would love to share it on instagram or something ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️


	126. Correspondence

When term started back up, Mia decided she needed to work on getting Sirius on board with her secret potions project. There was no way she would be successful without him. They corresponded regularly.

_Dad,_

_How are things at meadow lake? I miss you and Remus terribly. You must send me pictures from your holiday. Enclosed is a batch of burn ointment_ _Madam Pomfrey_ _says will do wonders for sunburns. The Yule Ball was better than expected, thanks for forcing me to go. By the way Gabe and I are officially dating. Thought you should know._

_Yes he's being a perfect gentleman. No we haven't done any of the things mentioned in that book, nor do we plan too. That book was just for research and yes it was about werewolves, not the other things. That's actually something I've been wanting to tell you about, but I wasn't sure how to bring it up. I've had an idea for a potions project since last summer, you remember the one that melted my cauldron. I spent the last few months going over my failures to figure out what went wrong and how I can make it better and I think I have something that'll work. I know I'm just 14 and I'm probably being really stupid thinking I'm capable of fixing this but, I think it will work. I think I can cure Remus._

_Please hear me out, you read it yourself in that book and that wasn't the first time I've heard it. The first person to ever attempt becoming an animagus is believed to be the first ever case of lupinism. It was a mutation caused by the potion. That's also why animagus are immune to lupinism. The two processes are too similar to exist in the same body. I have a theory that with the correct potion, we could tip the balance, and a werewolf could become an animagus, ridding the body of lupinism. I think I know what I was missing in my potion the first time and what I need to change to make it work, but it's not something I can do alone. And I know it's not something I should do alone. Eventually, I'm going to need to ask Remus for consent. This won't work unless he's completely on board with it but I think to get him on board I need to get you on board first._

_What do you think? Is it too crazy to try or is it worth the risk? Do you think Remus would hate us for meddling in his life? Do you think he would trust the plan enough to go along with it? If you don't think I'm totally crazy I can tell you more about what the process would look like. Let me know what you think and if I still have a chance to talk you into this. I don't think I can be successful without your total commitment, no pressure or anything._

_Yours,_

_Mia_

* * *

_Mia Bell,_

_Have I told you recently how absolutely brilliant I think you are? I firmly believe that you could accomplish anything you put your mind to. Not because you're my daughter but because you are your mother's daughter._

_But you're right, tread carefully here. You're talking about doing the impossible albeit from a perspective I've never heard before, and hope is a funny thing. It can drive us on but it can also break us. When we have hope we have the potential for heartbreak. Trust me, I'm an expert on this. I had no hope when I was in Azkaban, that's how I survived._

_Now I don't think that means we should ever not hope or dream for a better future, but I do think we need to be careful with someone else's hope. Tell me your plan, my love, and I'll tell you what I think. I do agree Moony should hear nothing about this unless we are 100% sure on a plan._

_I'm glad you enjoyed yourself at the Yule Ball. Remind me to tell Gabriel about some of my favorite hexes I learned back when I was fighting against You-Know-Who. Some of them are quite impressive and do interesting things to a man's body. Good things to keep in mind while he's dating my daughter. Does this mean I have to have The Sex Talk with you now? I think that's something I'm going to give to Moony. He is your godfather, he should pull his weight._

_If we can never speak again about the first half of that book I think it would be too soon. If all you needed it for is the stuff in the back about werewolves could you just cut out those first few chapters and maybe burn them? I think I would sleep easier. If you don't then I think I'll recite it for Moony and make him explain to you why there are just some things the human body isn't meant to do. Also, please don't think I missed the fact that you still have not told me what rules you've broken recently. I refuse to believe my kid is so straight laced._

_Sincerely, the one who will murder your boyfriend if he attempts to hurt you in any way shape or form,_

_Dad_

_P.S. Thanks for the burn ointment, it came in handy. Apparently falling asleep on the beach isn't a great idea after spending 12 years in a jail cell._

_P.P.S. Enclosed is a pic of us at a muggle boardwalk. Their pictures don't move for some reason. The shark eating me was not real, nor are the waves and surfboard Moony is standing on._

* * *

_Dad,_

_Please oh please don't try to have The Talk with me or ask Remus to. McGonagall's already covered everything. That was traumatic enough. I really don't need to go through it again. I promise to rip out the pages of that book. I can rebind what I need and burn the rest. It's not worth it, please don't tell Remus, I don't think I could ever look him in the eyes again if he knew._

_I didn't comment on the school rule I broke recently because I thought it was obvious. I'm in possession of a banned book that would definitely cause some noise if it was discovered but don't worry, my rule abiding father insists I get rid of the naughty pages so I won't be breaking the rules for much longer._

_I love the picture of you two at the beach. Remus looks amazing in that floppy hat. And I love your sunglasses tan line. How is Remus? Still, getting letters from our favorite cousin?_

_Here's the basic concept of the potion. It would be brewed during the first two weeks of the lunar month and then would be taken the night of the new moon. It will transform the taker into their animated form for one hour while they observe their animagus form just like a real animagus would. Each consecutive night after the new moon the subject will continue to attempt transformation after meditation and end the process by taking the potion and spending another hour in their form._

_I believe once a full transformation without the assistance of a potion is completed, this will be the turning point for the subject, and the moon will no longer have any sway over them, meaning they are essentially cured of lupinism and are now an animagus. If the subject doesn't achieve transformation within the first month, the potion will be brewed again, and the process started over again on the new moon of the following month. The ingredients that make the animagus potion so deadly if someone takes more than their original dosages isn't present in this one. Someone can take it month after month until they're successful._

_Now here's the catch. During this process, the subject can't take the_ _Wolfsbane Potion._ _That means every month that they're not successful they'll have to go through a full moon change, without the assistance of the potion. That's the sucky part and I'm afraid there's not a way around it. That's where I was kind of hoping you could come in. I know you used to help Remus back before the_ _Wolfsbane Potion_ _was created. Is there a way you could create an environment that would help him through the months, so it's not as difficult?_

_Always,_

_Mia_

* * *

_Mia Bell,_

_McGonagall gave you The Sex Talk? I am so, so sorry. Did she use her chalkboard or transfigure anything to show the finer details? Merlin, I can't imagine. Actually I can, and I think I may start having a new case of night terrors. Send more chocolate magic potion. I may have to chug a bottle._

_I think I can manage Werewolf Moony just fine. I did it for years without the_ _Wolfsbane Potion, so I can do it again, although I may convert your potions room in the cellar into a safe room. Maybe we can turn one of the rooms on the third floor into a new potions lab? It will take a little convincing, but I think I can make Moony comfortable. What about on the potion's end? How will we know when you have something that won't kill him?_

_I'm not entirely sure how he is doing in the whole, secret-letters-from-my-cousin-that-we-all-know-about, department. They did go out one day (I think. He was very hush hush about the whole thing, but he was smiling stupidly the next day.) That was a few weeks ago, and he still gets owls every few days, but he seems much more somber about it. I've tried to ask him a few times, but he gets mad and tells me to butt out. I'm not sure how to go about getting more info without waylaying the owls._

_Always, your loving father who misses you terribly,_

_Dad_

_P.S. Is that boy sill treating you ok? I can find a reason to visit and threaten him if I need to._

* * *

_Dad,_

_Is everything ok, like in general? I keep getting weird vibes from random people. Harry has been acting weird, and I know you have been writing him. Professor Moody said something in DADA yesterday about 'things to come' and he's hinted cryptically like this before, but this time Harry turned pale and looked like he would puke. What's going on? Does this have more to do with what happened at the end of last year with Harry's Divination teacher and Wormtail? I've wanted to ask before, but I wasn't sure if I should. I know whatever it is, it probably isn't my business, but I feel like it should be._

_Yes_ _McGonagall gave me The Talk, no, I'm not going to share the details. Trust me, you don't want me to._

_Gabe is wonderful. Please be nice to him. I really care about him and I don't want things to be weird._

_For the potion… I'm working on it. Once I have a finished plan, I'm going to show it to Professor Snape. I know you don't like him, but he's helped me in the past, and I don't believe he would ever do anything to jeopardize an important potion. It would go against his professional code or something. I know you hate him, but I think I can trust him. As for having everything I need, that's another thing I need help with. I think the reason my last potion failed was because I didn't have Remus' hair, like the Animagi potion. But to balance everything correctly, I need some of his human hair, and some of his werewolf hair. Is it too weird for me to ask you to sneak some for me?_

_I'm sorry to hear things haven't progressed with Remus and Tonks. I really hoped by now they would be more open about it. I've hinted in my letters to him, asking for details, but he always seems to ignore it. Maybe you should start waylaying owls._

_Always,_

_Mia_

* * *

_Mia Bell,_

_You can trust Snape. He's a greasy git, but Dumbledore trusts him, so I do as well._

_Attached is some of Moony's hair in both forms. Please don't ask me how I got it. I do not wish to relive it. Tell me love, what is your plan for actually administering the potion to him? If the potion takes two weeks to brew and will be monthly for who knows how long, do you plan to make it over the summer then call it quits for the school year until next summer? You aren't dropping out of school for this, sorry sweetie._

_Yes, you are correct something seems to be up. I don't know what, and I don't think even Dumbledore knows what, but it's something. Just keep your eyes out and stay safe, and maybe don't talk about it around open ears._

_Your loving father who still is suspicious about your boyfriend,_

_Dad_

* * *

_Dad,_

_I've been thinking about what to do about the potion being brewed monthly. I want to make it over the Easter holiday, that will give me one week for the difficult part and the second week of brewing needs very little maintenance. I'm hoping professor Snape or McGonagall or both can help me work out the details. If I do that, Remus can have a go in April, and we can make sure it works. Then, do you think he would feel comfortable if I asked Alec, Gabe's older brother to help? I don't know if he has time or the interest, but he definitely has the skill. I can ask him if he'd be willing to brew it each month for us._

_Love you,_

_Mia_

* * *

_Mia Bell,_

_I like Alec, he's good people. We've had a few dinners with him and his parents. Moony likes them too. If you think he can help, I say ask him. Is there anything else you need from me? I feel bloody useless. The cellar has been werewolf proofed with lots of fun chew toys. No, Moony hasn't seen it yet._

_Love,_

_Dad_

_P.S. I'm still worried about you and this boy. Are you being safe? I don't want to be a grandpa any time soon._

* * *

_Alec,_

_How's everything going at work and with your family? Are your parents still as pissed as they sound about Gabe becoming an animagus?_

_I have kind of a weird question to ask you. I have a potion I've been working on the last few months and I think I officially have a working product. The problem is the application requires monthly brewing, and the potion takes two weeks to brew. It's not something I can do with my current schedule. Read over the attached papers and treatment method and tell me what you think. I can brew it for the month of April to confirm it is successful, but would you have any interest in helping in May and June?_

_Thanks,_

_Mia_

* * *

_Mia,_

_What the bloody f***? Did you really make this yourself? This is effing brilliant. Does the potion work? If it works, what you're talking about... this is so dangerous. Who else knows about this?_

_Yes, Mum and Dad are still pissed, although they might also be a little impressed. I think they will let Gabe have it when he gets home, and then they will be done with it. You'll understand my insistence on asking what adults know about your plans before I agree to help you. I do kind of feel a little guilty over the whole animagus thing since I knew about it and didn't tell Mum and Dad. They don't know that part yet, so please keep it to yourself._

_For something like this Mia, I can make the time at work. Hell, they would probably give me the time if I told them what I was working on, but I think it's probably best if it was kept private for now. Do you have the paperwork to patent the potion? This is necessary. A discovery like this, lord you're only 14! I get now why my baby brother is in love with you. Don't tell him I told you that._

_Let me know who over the age of 15 knows about this and what your plan is. I can talk with Remus or Sirius directly as well if you want. Remus is your guinea pig right? Remus knows he's your guinea pig right? There's a certain process this type of magical experimentation needs to follow. Attached is the magical board's policies and procedures for you to read over. This is really something you want to be above board on. If you are successful, a magical discovery on this scale will be ground breaking. You need to make sure when your actions are scrutinized for years to come by every potions master and healer in Europe, it stands up. Let me know what you need, I'm happy to help in any way I can as long as it's legal._

_Your future brother-in-law,_

_Alec_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little change of pace here, but I hope you enjoyed it!


	127. The Second Task

Mia was laughing as she left the great hall reading the signature at the bottom of Alec's letter. As she was passing the corridor towards Dumbledores office, she saw a witch in chocolate robes and bubblegum pink hair.

"Tonks!"

"Wotcha!" Mia ran up the few steps till she was level with the woman and hugged her. Her cousin hugged her back tightly before releasing. "How have things been, Mia?"

"Fine. What are you doing here?"

"Oh you know, just top secret triwizard things for the ministry. How's your family?" Her expression made it look like she didn't care about the answer, but her tone was hesitant as she carefully said the word family.

"Oh you know, Sirius is being Sirius, but I suppose you know better than I do how Remus is." Mia smiled wickedly as Tonks blushed.

"Did he tell you?"

"Of course not. He wouldn't tell me or Sirius who he was spending hours a day drafting a letter to or re reading the reply till the parchment got thin. So Sirius and I may have snooped a little." Mia smiled guiltily. "Sorry, not sorry."

Tonks laughed lightly, then her face started to fall. She sighed and sat down on the staircase. "Well, I guess it doesn't really matter anymore. He told me to stop writing."

"What? Why?"

"Why do you think?" Tonks glared up at Mia and her hair started going red at the roots. "Because he's too old for me, because I deserve better. Because he's too poor. Because he's a…"

Mia sighed and sat next to her cousin on the steps. "Remus is very good at looking out for the people he cares about even if it means he's sacrificing himself."

"So how do I get him to stop?"

"I don't know, force your way in?"

"I didn't stop writing," Tonks said with a small grin.

"Good! Does he still write back?"

Tonks smiled. "Yeah, every time. His letters are shorter now, and he's started just responding properly, mentioning everything in my letter politely, then ending it by saying the same thing over again, that I should stop writing, and he won't reply to my next letter. But he always does." She was looking absently across the corridor, a sad wistful smile on her face.

Mia wished she could help, wished her potion was ready and she could cure his disease. Maybe then he would be free to love who he wanted, and wouldn't hold back.

"Does it bother you, what he is?"

Tonks drew back as though slapped. "No! Of course not!"

"It doesn't worry you, what kind of future you would have together?"

Tonks stood up and crossed her arms. "No Mia, it doesn't. I love the man. All of him. And no hard truths are going to scare me away from him!"

"Good." Mia stood up and smiled sadly at her cousin. "Then don't stop fighting for him. He's amazing, and he deserves your love. We just have to convince him of it."

"And how do we do that?"

"I don't know. When's the last time you saw him?"

"Two months ago. He won't agree to go out anymore if I ask him," Tonks said.

"So maybe don't ask?"

Tonks started to grin. "What are you thinking?"

"Well, Sirius I'm sure could use some fresh faces. He's had a hard time of it, recovering from Azkaban, and he never goes out and Remus isn't exactly known for keeping a lively atmosphere. I bet seeing his cousin would help Sirius on his way to recovery. You should stop in."

Tonks was smiling wickedly now. "I like the way you think kid."

They parted ways and Mia headed to the library. She found a seat at a table next to Harry and Hermione. Their table was stacked high with books, and Mia moved a stack so she would have room to reply to Alec.

Hermione growled and slammed another book closed.

"Are you ok?" Mia asked. "You guys have been going crazy in the library. Is this about the second task?" It was two days till the task, Mia hoped they weren't still cramming.

At her question Harry went pale and put his head down on a book. Hermione sighed. "Mia, I don't suppose you know a way to breathe underwater for an hour do you?"

Mia thought about it. There were probably some advanced spells… then she remembered something she had read once when she was researching magical plants found at Hogwarts. "I think there's a plant you can eat that does it. There's a book in the restricted section that mentions it, but I bet Neville knows. He's brilliant at herbology."

Harry lifted his head and stared at her, Hermione also stared. They looked at each other and ran out of the library.

The morning of the second task, Hermione was already out of bed by the time Mia woke up. Mia dressed warmly and headed down to the great hall for breakfast with Gabe. They ate and chatted with the twins about what they thought the next task would cover. When it was time they walked out to the lake and found seats in the large stands surrounding the lake.

There was a large platform on the side of the lake, and on it sat the judges. On the shoreline stood Fleur, Cedric, and Viktor all in swimming suits.

Bagman walked out and put his wand against his throat. "And it looks to be that time for the second task!" Everyone cheered.

"Where's Harry?' Mia asked. Gabe shook his head. Just then a small figure in black robes came running towards the platform. Bagman sagged in relief and headed over to Harry. They spoke for a moment, and Harry joined the other champions, looking out of place in his robes.

"Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle. They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them. On the count of three, then. One. . . two. . . three!"

A big clock over the judges stand started counting down from one hour.

Fleur and Cedric both pointed spells at their own faces, then took off running from the shore into the water before they submerged. Harry was slower, trudging through the shallows he took something from his pocket and ate it. Mia smiled as she realized it must have been the plant she mentioned. Neville must have come through. Harry waded further into the water, his robes weighing him down. He looked so out of place. Finally, he looked like he was choking, and dove under water.

Lastly, Viktor stood on the edge of the lake, his want pointed at his head as he shot spell after spell. His upper body started to thicken and he began calmly walking into the water, his neck widening, and his head growing thick and misshapen.

Something glinted on his shorts, and Mia smiled when she recognized the SPEW badge on the waistline of his swimming shorts. He shot his wand at his feet when he was waist deep, then at each arm. His arms thickened, and webbing formed on his hands. Finally, he pointed the wand back at his head, and with a few last wand movements, his upper body transformed into a hideous half shark, his teeth pointing out at weird angles. Everyone cheered as he dove into the water and took off.

When the last of the bubbles from Viktor's dive disappeared, the cheering slowly subsided. Bagman, as though looking lost said in an excited voice, "And now, we wait."

"That's it?" Mia asked. "We get to stare at the surface of the lake for an hour and freeze our butts off?"

Gabe opened his cloak and wrapped it around Mia as she snuggled close. "There are worse things I think. We could be forced to swim in that freezing lake."

"Good point."

They talked quietly as the clock counted down. When it reached 10 minutes Bagman raised his wand again. "I'm seeing bubbles! Could that be our first champion?" It wasn't.

The clock reached down to 0, and started counting up in red.

The bored audience jumped to their feet, and as Cedric breached the surface of the water, dragging Cho everyone screamed and cheered.

Next to show was Fleur, except she was alone, her arms cut and scraped and bleeding. She kept yelling and pointing at the lake like she wanted to go back in, but they wouldn't let her.

When Viktor broke the surface, in all his shark glory, Mia started to worry about Harry.

"Is that Hermione?" Gabe asked.

"So that's where she was this morning."

They swam to the platform, and Viktor quickly changed his body back to human. It was much quicker than the original transformation. They were pulled onto the platform, and thick blankets were thrown around them. Madam Pomfrey shoved potions into their hands, and their ears started smoking.

The clock was ticking by with time in the negative. Mia was really worrying now. If the plant Harry used only lasted an hour…

Finally Harry broke the surface, and he carried two people with him, Ron, and a small girl with silver blond hair. All around Harry merpeople surfaced, screeching as they escorted Harry to the platform. By the way Fleur acted, it looked like the little girl was her sister. Once everyone was wrapped in blankets, their ears smoking from pepperup potion, Bagman again took to the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our decision. Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows... Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points. Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour. We, therefore, award him forty-seven points. Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points. Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect. He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely his own."

Mia and Gabe laughed. Yeah, that was Harry for you. He could have won the whole thing.

"Most of the judges feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However. . . Mr. Potter's score is forty-five points."

Everyone cheered and clapped for their champions.

"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June. The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions."

* * *

On Friday, after potions, Mia waited for the rest of the class to leave and approached Snape's desk.

"What do you want?" He didn't look up at her.

"I was wondering if you would look over a potion I have been working on." She held out the papers.

Snape sneered nastily at her. "Tell me Miss Black, why should I help you when you have been raiding my potions ingredients all year?"

"What? I haven't–"

"Well someone sure has, I know you go through ingredients quite regularly, where do you get them all?" He was staring into her eyes intently, and Mia couldn't look away.

"I– I buy them."

Snape slammed his hand on the desk. "Do not lie to me."

"Fine!" Mia said, not liking this interrogation. "Give me detention if you must. Sometimes I go into the forest and harvest them."

This caught Snape off guard and he blinked. Then he straightened again catching her eyes one more time. "If that is true, look me in the eyes and tell me you have never taken anything out of my storerooms without asking."

Mia looked him in the eyes, anger flaring in her own. His eyes seem to glitter softly. "I have never taken anything out of your storerooms without asking."

He frowned and broke their eye contact as though it had been a physical force. Mia rubbed her head and looked down at the table. That was weird. It was like he had been seeing into her soul.

"All right Miss Black. So what exactly is this cute little project you want me to look over for you?"

He was back to sneering. It was familiar ground and Mia was relieved. She took a deep breath and set a small stack of paper on his desk. It contained her recipe and process on the table. "It's a cure. I want to know if you think it will work and I promised Professor McGonagall I would show it to you before I tried to brew it again." Professor Snape picked up the paper and Mia turned and left before he had a chance to read it over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is having a wonderful week <3


	128. A Last-Minute Surprise

"Miss Black, if you have a moment, I would like to speak with you."

Mia looked up surprised and set down her quill. Snape standing in the library just felt so out of place. He needed more stone walls, and more shadows around him.

"Of course," she stood but Snape but didn't seem to feel the need for them to go anywhere other than her table. Gabe set down his book and watched.

"Your methodology and calculations seem to be correct. What is your plan for brewing this potion?"

Mia blinked. He didn't see any fault in it. Was she really on the right path, or did he just want her to fail? "Well, I was hoping to speak with Professor McGonagall and see if I could brew the first half over the Easter holiday. If I completed the first half of the potion during break, then the second half would need very little maintenance. And I was hoping I might be able to work something out with my professors and the schedule."

Snape nodded. "I have discussed this with Professor McGonagall as the most likely option. You will brew this potion in my private workroom, and I will supervise every step of the process. Do you understand?"

Mia nodded. She had no words.

"You will not administer this potion to any human being without their full and complete consent do you understand me?" Mia nodded again. " _If_ the potion is successful, I will assist you with the patent process. This needs to happen before any public announcement of your potion is made. If your potion is not successful you will not continue experimentation in any way without my knowledge do you understand?"

Mia nodded and Snape turned to leave. "Thanks, Professor!" Mia called.

"Uh, Professor!" Gabe stood up, setting down his new copy of Guide to Advanced Occlumency by Maxwell Barnett. Snape turned and stared at the boy as though he very much wished Gabe would disappear. Instead, Gabe stood confidently. "Professor I have been researching the methodology of Occlumency and was wondering if there was anything I could possibly do that would persuade you to coach me?"

"No." Professor Snape turned and left the library.

"Well, that's that then." Gabe slumped back in his chair and Mia laughed softly.

"We can find another teacher."

Gabe shook his head. "Flitwick said he was the only one on staff other than Dumbledore who had the skill." He sighed. "I will just go back to theoretical application. Maybe I can find a coach this summer. But it's a good sign for you right? He seems on board for your potion."

Mia frowned. "Now I just have to not mess it up."

* * *

When the easter holiday arrived, Mia had everything prepared. Her spelled timer was set with each stage of the process, her ingredients were all laid out on a table in Snape's workroom, and the cauldron lay before her. It was Friday night and her last class had just finished. Now all she needed was to start this incredibly complex potion and not make a single mistake. Remus' future depended on it.

"Any day now, Miss Black," Snape said as he leaned against a shelf. Mia nodded and took a deep breath and started adding ingredients.

Gabe came by to keep her company. Fun company as opposed to Snape's grumpy company, he told her. He sat on a stool in the corner and discussed the Occlumency facts he was learning with her, while Snape listened, not saying a word. Mia suspected he was there more to show Snape his determination than to keep Mia company, but she didn't say anything. Occasionally Snape would ask why she was adding a specific ingredient or following a specific step, and Mia would answer. This potion, much like the animagus potion needed attention at all hours of the day and night. She had special permission to be out of bed overnight, and each time Mia entered the workroom, Snape was waiting for her.

* * *

After the short break, classes started up again. When the timer went off, she would excuse herself from class, and make her way to Snape's workroom. If he was in the middle of a class, he would growl at them to work quietly and would join her for the next steps. Hermione and Gabe caught her up on any work missed.

After two weeks, Mia added in her last ingredient, and the potion turned crystal clear like water. She sighed with relief and almost cried. Snape gave her a congratulatory assessment as "Adequate," and she bottled up the potion with absolute care. She took the small bottles up to the owlery, along with the note she had been stressing over for the last two weeks.

_Dear Remus,_

_I miss you, how are you? Enclosed you will find a potion a little different than you're used to. You don't have to take it, I wanted to see if it would work before I told you about it. Please forgive me for keeping it secret from you. If you do decide to take it, Sirius will help. He knows how it works and what it is. Please oh please forgive me for keeping it secret._

_Love,_

_Mia_

She folded in the detailed instructions for her potion, including the expectations and outcome, and wished the owl a safe flight.

It was a few days before an owl landed before her, and Mia was nervous as she tore open the paper.

_Mia Bell,_

_It worked._

_I don't know what to say except for that. The first potion worked, at least I became a wolf. A true wolf. Why is my animagus form a wolf? That just feels a little unfair to me. I would much prefer for it to be something cooler. Maybe it's because I've spent so much of my time as a wolf already, it's become a part of me._

_We tried meditation tonight before taking a second potion. Sirius is terrible at coaching. Please send any tips or recommendations for this process or I may have to strangle him._

_Mia, I cannot begin to thank you for all that you have done. For all of the work you have poured into this, for me. Even if this doesn't work, even if it's not successful, knowing you have spent so much time trying to help me is the greatest gift I could ever have. If that means I have to spend a few more full moons without the wolfsbane potion, it's well worth it. Thank you, my Mia Bell._

_With all my love,_

_Remus_

* * *

The last few weeks of term passed quickly. Alec brewed the potion for Remus the following two months, and it was all Gabe and Mia could do to keep up with their homework and study for finals. Mia wasn't sure how Hermione was doing it, spending every lunch and evening helping Harry study spells for the final task.

Remus sent Mia frequent updates with stories of their failed meditation.

_Last night Sirius just transformed back and forth from man to dog and yelled: "It's just that easy."_

And then the following month,

_Yesterday I managed to transform a single hairless finger. It was really weird. Sirius said it looked like I stuck it in a dehydrator. He is not helping._

When finals hit, they were an all-consuming force. The only bright light was that the final task would come the night after their final exam as a prize. Harry didn't have to do exams at all. Mia guessed that was a good enough reward for having to face a dragon. It almost made Mia wish she had entered.

* * *

Mia had her nose buried in her transfiguration book as she left her History of Magic exam and headed into the Great Hall. She slid into an empty seat and grabbed a sandwich without taking her eyes from the book. She kept messing up the theories in her head. Someone cleared their throat next to her. She ignored it and kept reading. She only had an hour till her exam, and she had to get this!

"As impressed as I am by your work ethic, do you think you could bugger off long enough for a hug."

Mia gasped and turned to see Sirius standing there in all his splendor. He wore deep maroon robes complimenting his hair and bringing out a healthy glow to his skin. She jumped out of her chair and threw her arms around him. "Dad!" Gabe had been right; it only took her sending a million letters with the name before it felt natural on her lips.

Her dad laughed and spun her around before he set her down and held her at arm's length to look her over. "More and more beautiful every day."

Mia snorted. "What are you doing here!"

"We came to watch the third task, all the champions get to have their family visit, so we thought it was only right." He gestured behind him and Mia saw–

"Remus!"

He laughed and hugged her tight. "What are you reading over there that had you so distracted?"

"Ugh. My transfiguration exam is after lunch, and right now I don't even care if I fail. How are you?" she asked a little more intently than was probably proper.

He laughed. "I'm well. Sirius is a bloody awful teacher, but I'm well."

Mia smiled and sat next to Remus as Sirius reclaimed his seat next to Harry across the table. It was only right she supposed, it was his task, and he was again putting his life on the line tonight for the school's amusement.

"How's it going, Harry?" she asked.

"Never better." He was smiling and looked genuinely happy surrounded by people who loved him. The redheaded woman and man on Harry's other side, it turned out, were Ron's mom and oldest brother Bill. Fleur and who looked like her mom and sister were sitting a few seats down the Gryffindor table. Odd as they usually sat at the Ravenclaw table. Ron was talking with his brother about some curse he had broken in a tomb in Egypt and Fleur was shooting small glances at Bill.

Remus tapped her shoulder and pointed down the hall as Gabe walked in, his nose stuck in his own transfiguration book. He plopped into the seat next to Mia and started eating on autopilot as he read. Sirius got an evil grin on his face and leaned across the table towards Gabe. Mia moved to stop him, but Sirius gestured for her to stay. She sighed and sat back in her chair. They would have it out one way or another. She would interfere if things got bloody. Sirius leaned across the table, and lowered Gabe's book with one finger until Gabe looked up and their eyes connected. The smile on Sirius' face wasn't exactly nice.

Gabe jumped and dropped his book on his sandwich. "Sirius!" Mia picked up the book and started cleaning it off.

Sirius grinned and leaned back in his chair. "So Adewumi, what exactly are your intentions with my daughter?"

Gabe looked at Mia, then back as Sirius. "Do you really want me to answer that?" he asked with a small grin.

"I sure do." Sirius' wand was in his hand and he was twirling it casually. Mia hadn't even seen him pull his wand.

"Ok," Gabe said and straightened up, his arm brushing against Mia's. "My intentions are to slowly convince her she wants nothing more than to spend the rest of her life with me."

Mia started to giggle, and Sirius looked uncomfortable. Mia turned away from Gabe and Sirius. "So, Remus, had any interesting letters lately?" she asked innocently.

Remus looked confused, then annoyed. "I will tell you what I told your father. Butt out."

"No," Mia said with a grin. "She's my family too, you know. I want what's best for her just as much as I do for you." She spoke quietly hoping no one would overhear among the chatter.

"You've spoken?" he asked, looking shocked.

"Yeah, she was here on business for the second task, and we talked a bit. She was upset because someone was being an idiot, so I comforted her. You aren't still being an idiot, are you?"

He looked angry for a moment like he would tell her off, but then his face fel,l and he looked sad. "It's best if things end now before anyone gets hurt."

"But if we're successful then…" Mia trailed off. She didn't want to pretend Remus' relationship hung on the chance of her potion working. It was more than that. Mia didn't have the power to make Remus' life better. It was up to him.

"Even if we are successful, she still deserves... more."

_More than me._

He didn't have to say it. Mia heard it anyways.

"Don't be daft," Mia said. Remus looked angry again, but she didn't let it stop her. "People are already being hurt. Both of you. She doesn't even know what we are working on, and she loves you anyways. She told me she loves _all_ of you, regardless of anything. If you keep trying to end things you will still both be hurt. Isn't it better to just let her decide where her own happiness lay, and you do the same? What's the point with trying to avoid pain if it means you never feel anything?"

Remus sighed and was quiet for a moment. Then Ron said something stupid and everyone laughed. Things lightened up as they talked and had fun. Mia couldn't believe the change in Sirius as she watched him talking and laughing with Harry. Gone were the bags under his eyes, gone was the half-starved look. He looked healthy, he looked happy.

She sighed quietly. If only she could get Remus to the same place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Such a happy afternoon before the third task... think the evening will be just as cheerful? 😅


	129. The Third Task

Mia let out a deep breath as she left the potions classroom. She was finished with her exam a few minutes early and had been dismissed. A hand fell on her arm, but she was too drained to jump. She looked over her shoulder to see Gabe's sly smile. "What took you so long? I expected you to finish early."

"I did finish early, you prat. I'm the first out." She sighed and leaned into him. He wrapped his arms around her, and they rested in a shadowed corner of the dungeon. "Just because you're Flitwick's favorite, and probably didn't even double check your work before turning in your paper, doesn't mean the rest of us don't care about our marks."

Gabe snorted and kissed the top of her head. "I triple checked my work, like a proper Ravenclaw, thank you very much, which is why Flitwick loves me. Regardless, I expect to have at least a 102%."

Mia looked up into his grinning face, and he kissed her proper.

"Ready to go upstairs? I bet your dads are already in the great hall with Harry."

Mia grinned. "But if we go up, I won't be able to do this." She kissed him again.

When the potions room opened again, they broke apart. Hermione rolled her eyes but gave Mia a knowing smile. They headed to the great hall together, talking over their exams. Hermione was anxious. Having spent so much time helping Harry prepare for the third task, she hadn't studied very much. Mia could tell it weighed heavily on her friend, but Hermione insisted helping Harry had been the priority.

Dinner was wonderful. She spent it sitting between Gabe and Remus, Sirius across the table telling stories of their golden days. Fred and George sat nearby, soaking in every word, awe and respect on their faces.

Harry didn't eat much, instead he sat torn between looks of anxiety over the pending task, and amusement over Sirius' stories. As the meal wound down, McGonagall appeared and took Harry away to prepare for the task.

When the table cleared, they all made their way out to the quidditch pitch and started the climb into the stands. The night was cooling fast, but Mia was warm with Sirius on her right, and Gabe on her left. They sat in the front row of their box along with Remus and Hermione, Ron and his mum and brother.

Far below them stretched a complex maze, made up of huge thick shrubs sprouting out of the quidditch pitch. As they settled into place, Bagman again could be heard announcing the night.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each - Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!"

Mia cheered along with the rest of their school, their cries causing birds to launch into the air above the forbidden forest and disappear into the dark sky. "In second place, with eighty points - Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause, a little less loud, but still strong. "And in third place - Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!" And more cheers still. Bagman told them how the task would go. The maze was filled with spells, curses and monsters, tasks the champions would have to evade. In the center of the maze was the Triwizard cup, and the first champion to touch the cup would win.

The champions entered the maze staggered, in order from the highest point scale, so Harry and Cedric entered first. If they ran into trouble they couldn't beat, they could shoot up sparks and forfeit, and someone would come to rescue them.

The third task was much like the second. They couldn't really see anything. From up in the quidditch boxes they could just make out the small forms moving through the maze in some directions, but it was unclear who was who.

They could occasionally see the light of a spell or charm, and then spent the next few minutes arguing over who it was. When the first sparks flew into the air, Mia leaned forward in her seat, and Hermione gasped, fearing the worst. "It's not Harry," Sirius reassured Hermione. "He's not one to give up." Mia wasn't sure about Hermione, but Sirius' words didn't make her feel better. He was right. Harry would be more likely to get fatally hurt long before he asked for help.

When the first champion was retrieved, Bagman announced it was Fleur. "Hope she's ok," Bill said quietly from Mia's left.

A time later there was a fireball, big and impressive from deep in the maze. Then a red spell gleamed, followed by more sparks in the air. This time, Viktor was brought from the maze, stupefied. Hermione made small worried noises while Sirius and George reminisced on Viktor's skills at the world cup.

At last there was a bright flash of blue from the center of the maze, and Bagman's voice boomed in the night. "And that looks like it folks! As the Trywizard cup lights up the night, our champion and winner is teleported to the winning stage!" They all stood and looked to the far end of the pitch towards the judges on their stage, but neither Cedric nor Harry stood there. There was a long silence, then everyone started talking at one. Was it a mistake? Maybe that wasn't the blue of the cup porting the winner. Did someone mess up the portkey destination?

"Something's wrong," Sirius said quietly beside her. Mia looked at him and saw a worried look on his face. He turned and started pushing through the crowd. Mia grabbed Gabe's hand and followed her dad, Remus, and Hermione, and Ron, and Mrs. Weasley, and who knows who else following behind. Sirius flew down the stairs, taking them several at a time, and it was all Mia could do to keep up with her shorter legs.

People started to panic. She could hear a growing buzz from the crowd above her. As they raced along the grass ministry workers paced around with confused looks. They met Dumbledore as the Headmaster strode along the field towards the maze, lightning flashing in his eyes, and Percy and Bagman following behind.

"Dumbledore!" Sirius called out. Dumbledore held up a hand and they fell in behind him, moving fast towards the entrance to the maze.

"Alastor, what did you see?" Dumbledore asked Professor Moody as he came around the maze.

"Potter and Diggory made a deal, took the cup together at the same time. Then they disappeared. The Portkey worked." Mia frowned. Moody seemed a little too excited, something gleamed in his eyes, and his forehead was sweaty.

"Indeed," Dumbledore said with a frown.

"The portkey didn't work!" Percy said in an indignant voice. "If it had worked, they would have appeared on the stage. You there!" he called to a ministry worker. "Execute order four."

"Uh, whut?" the ministry worker asked.

Ron snorted behind Mia and Percy's face turned purple. "Tear down the maze at once! Honestly didn't anyone read the executive plan I wrote?" He stormed off to order more people around, and the ministry workers took off to dismantle the maze. Bill took off to help with removing the curses and creatures.

Dumbledore was oddly quiet among the chaos as people shouted and argued around them. Cedric's father reached them, Professor Sprout at his side trying to calm him.

"Where is he Dumbledore?" Cedric's father was frantic.

"Now the cup should have transported them right here," Bagman was shouting and pointing towards the stage. "It was a Portkey. Put the spell on it myself. They should have come straight here as soon as they touched it."

"Well it looks like you got the destination wrong!" Sirius shouted back. Remus held him back and Cedric's father got in Bagmans face instead yelling about morons who don't know their spell work.

"Now as soon as we have the maze cleared, we can have a proper look," Bagman said as he rubbed the sweat off his forehead. Moody shook his head, a small smile on his face as he turned and wandered towards the maze.

As the maze started to come down, chaos reigned. The rest of the school was kept in the stands to prevent confusion, and they could be heard yelling in the distance.

Snape approached Dumbledore. "Karkaroff is gone," he said before pulling him away and talking in quiet voices. He showed Dumbledore something on his arm. Bagman interrupted and started telling everyone again how it wasn't his fault.

Mia stood in the cold night, Gabe at her back with his arms around her as they watched the maze come down. When the creatures were all contained, and the majority of the maze was dismantled, a ministry worker made her way towards them, her hair was dark grey and limp, and she looked afraid. Remus saw her first and reached out to her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"I've been through the whole thing," Tonks told them. "He isn't in there."

"You're bleeding," Remus said. He pulled out a handkerchief and pressed it against her forehead.

"It's just a scratch from that bloody skrewt. It'll be fine."

"It will be fine after Madam Pomfrey has a look. Come on." Remus met Mia's eyes and nodded his head towards Sirius, standing near the maze. She nodded in understanding and Remus wrapped his arm around Tonks and took her towards the med stand.

Mia sighed and pulled herself out of Gabe's warm arms and smiled sadly at him. He nodded and she walked to Sirius. She looped her arm through his, and he looked down at her surprised.

"I should be in there helping," he said before turning back to the maze.

"You heard Moody, he said he's not in there, and he can see through the hedges. Tonks also just came out. She's been through it and didn't see anything."

"This is bad," he said.

"What are you thinking could have happened?"

"It's all a part of a conspiracy. Someone put Harry's name in the goblet just for this, just to separate him from everyone else."

"But who would do that?"

"You know who."

Mia shivered, and Sirius pulled her closer.

Eventually the maze was dismantled, and they stood around the empty field. Among the fear and stress, Mia couldn't help the small gleam of hope in her chest as Remus stayed at Tonks' side.

Dumbledore wandered slowly around the middle of the field as though aimlessly searching for clues. When a glowing blue light appeared in the center of the field, everyone froze, then took off running. Dumbledore was there first as two forms and a glowing cup appeared in the middle of the air and fell to the ground.

Mia was there a moment later with Sirius and Gabe. They didn't look to be moving, were they dead? Dumbledore turned Harry over.

"He's back," Harry whispered. "He's back. Voldemort." More people reached them. People were screaming, Cedric's eyes were glassy and dead.

"He wanted me to bring him back," Harry muttered, his eyes frantic. "He wanted me to bring him back to his parents. . . "

McGonagall and Moody were helping Harry up, looking him over, then Cedric's dad was screaming and screaming, and tried to attack Dumbledore. McGonagall held him off while Dumbledore tried to calm him down.

It was terrible. Madam Pomfrey cast spells over Cedric and confirmed the worst. Dumbledore held Cedric's father as he wept crying for his son. The Minister of Magic was yelling at everyone, demanding things.

"Harry," Sirius whispered. Mia looked up and saw Sirius looking around. "Dumbledore, where's Harry?" Sirius asked loudly.

Dumbledore took off and Sirius followed. Mia tried to follow but Sirius stopped her. "No, stay here, stay with Moony and stay safe!" His eyes were frantic, and Mia nodded as he ran off chasing after Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape.

Cedric's body was taken away, and no one seemed to be in charge any longer. Bagman was gone, and Professor Flitwick ordered everyone back to their common rooms. Mia, Gabe, Hermione and Ron stayed with Remus, Tonks, Mrs. Weasley and Bill. McGonagall showed up and told them Harry was with Dumbledore and Sirius in Dumbledore's office, but they could wait for him in the hospital wing. Then she went to find the Minister of Magic.

They sat quietly in the hospital wing, waiting for Harry and to learn more. Professor Moody was lying unconscious on a bed in a corner. He was thin and ragged, a terrifying change from what he'd looked like on the field a short time ago. She couldn't imagine what could have happened. Madam Pomfrey was treating him, and Mia helped fetch potions.

When Harry re appeared, Sirius and Dumbledore at his side, Dumbledore told them all they could stay if Harry wanted, but only if they promised not to ask Harry to repeat what happened. Mia of course agreed, but she desperately wanted to know. Harry said You-Know-Who was back, and Mia was scared, a looming dread stretching over her as if a dementor approached. But somehow, she didn't think the patronus charm would save her from what was coming.

After a short time of sitting in the quiet room, watching Harry sleep, and feeling like she should butt out and go back to her room, yelling rang out through the hallways.

"What is that?" Bill asked.

"They'll wake him if they don't shut up!" Mrs. Weasley hissed.

"What are they shouting about? Nothing else can have happened, can it?" Ron asked.

"That's Fudge's voice," Mrs. Weasley whispered. "And that's Minerva McGonagall's, isn't it? But what are they arguing about?"

The voices grew closer.

"Regrettable, but all the same, Minerva -" the Minister said.

"You should never have brought it inside the castle!" Professor McGonagall yelled. "When Dumbledore finds out -"

The hospital wing doors burst open and the Minister, McGonagall and Snape entered the room in a flurry. "Where's Dumbledore?" the Minister demanded.

"He's not here! This is a hospital wing. Minister, don't you think you'd do better to -"

The door opened again, and Dumbledore entered.

"What has happened?" said Dumbledore sharply, looking from Fudge to Professor McGonagall. "Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you! I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch!"

"There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, Dumbledore!" she yelled. "The Minister has seen to that!"

McGonagall was angrier than Mia had ever seen her, she could barely believe it. She shook with anger.

Snape cut in in a low even voce. "When we told Mr. Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events, he seemed to feel his personal safety was in question. He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch-"

"I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore!" McGonagall yelled. "I told him you would never allow dementors to set foot inside the castle, but-"

"My dear woman!" Fudge yelled, his face purple. "As Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interviewing a possibly dangerous-"

"The moment that - that thing entered the room," McGonagall screamed, pointing at Fudge, "it swooped down on Crouch and- and-"

Mia's stomach dropped. It had kissed him. She knew it. Someone who McGonagall was supposed to be protecting had been kissed by a dementor. Sirius sitting by the foot of Harry's bed looked green, and Mia couldn't blame him.

"By all accounts, he is no loss! It seems he has been responsible for several deaths," Fudge argued.

That was when it all came out. Mr. Crouch's son had been a death eater. He had attacked and impersonated Professor Moody. All year they hadn't been taught by the ex auror, they were taught by a death eater. He had put Harry's name in the goblet, and helped Harry all year, keeping him safe for tonight, for Voldemort to use Harry so he could rise again to full power. And now he was back. Alive and powerful again.

Fudge didn't believe it, but then Harry started naming names of death eaters who had been there that night, including Draco's dad.

Dumbledore started telling Fudge steps to take, remove the dementors from Azkaban, reach out to the giants to build ties, but Fudge wouldn't hear any of it. Dumbledore warned him if he failed to act, his name would go down as the man who stepped aside when Voldemort tried to destroy the world. Fudge grew angry, and then Snape stepped in, he showed Fudge a mark on his arm, the dark mark, and said it was proof Voldemort was back.

Mia was shocked, she couldn't believe Snape had once been a follower of Voldemort. Fudge was equally shocked and disgusted. He dropped Harry's prize money on his bed and left the hospital wing with a threat to Dumbledore.

Silence fell for a moment, and then Dumbledore set to work. Bill left to alert Ron's dad, and anyone else who worked for the ministry and could be trusted, that Voldemort was back, and tell them Fudge was going to cover it up. Madam Pomfrey went to look after a house elf, and McGonagall left to get Hagrid and Madame Maxime. Remus was sent to alert all of their old 'crowd' and Sirius would stay with Harry for the night.

Snape… Dumbledore asked Snape if he was ready to do something he knew he must do. Snape said that he was, but his face was even paler than Mia had ever seen, and Dumbledore looked regretful as he wished Snape good luck as the potions master left. Dumbledore left to see Cedric's father, and told Harry to take the rest of his sleeping potion. When he was asleep, Mia said goodnight to Sirius, and she and Gabe left the hospital wing. She felt like she had intruded on Harry's privacy enough.

They walked together in silence to the landing where Ravenclaw and Gryffindor parted ways to their own towers. Gabe pulled Mia into a big hug, and they stood like that for a long time.

"How can we help?" she asked Gabe at last.

"I dunno." He squeezed her tighter. "But we will. We will find a way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And year 4 draws to a close! (Just another quick PSA that we only have a few chapters left, but they are a bit bigger overall :]


	130. Into the Unknown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Juneteenth to all my fellow Americans out there <3

The days following the third task were a trial in restraint and patience in Mia. The day after, Dumbledore had asked the school not to question Harry about what happened, to leave him alone, and this only resulted in students going back to their old habits of whispering when Harry passed, glaring, or shying away in fear.

Over the years Mia and Harry had traded off being hated enough. She knew what it felt like and wanted to make it stop. Some magazine went around saying Harry was deranged, Gabe thought it was a smear campaign by the ministry, and Mia agreed.

She found Draco at lunch.

"Ah, Amelia cousin, what brings you to the green side of the great hall? Thinking of converting after all?"

"Can we talk?" she asked.

Draco made a big show of rolling his eyes and saying what a weight her familia ties were on his social calendar, but he followed her out of the great hall all the same.

"Do you know what happened last night?" she asked.

Draco winced. "Yeah, a puff died."

Mia took a deep breath. "Please refrain from being an ass long enough to talk to me. Do you know how he died?"

Draco rolled his eyes and shrugged. "No, no one does. Potter was there, but other than being weird and mopey, he's not saying." Then Draco's eyes grew sharp. "Why? Do you know?"

"Yes, I do." She pulled Draco farther to the side and lowered her voice. "Last night…" She knew she shouldn't be talking about this, but she had to warn Draco about what he would be going home to. "Last night You-Know-Who returned." Fear bloomed in Draco's eyes, but then it was replaced by disbelief. She kept going. "Harry was there. You-Know-Who killed Cedric, and then used Harry to come back, even more powerful than ever. He called all of his old people to him. Harry said he saw your Father there."

Fear, disbelief, confusion, panic. Draco shook his head. "Potter lies-"

"No Draco, he doesn't. You know he doesn't. You lie because you don't like him and like to get him in trouble, but he's always honest about this stuff."

Draco shook his head again and paced away a few steps, his head bowed.

After a moment, Mia crossed to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "I don't know what this all really means for you, but if you need a place to stay, or to get away, you're always welcome with us."

Draco shoved off her hand and turned to her, hatred in his face. "What do I need a bunch of blood traitors like you for? Just because you have something to fear from… from Him doesn't mean I do."

He walked away towards the dungeons, and Mia sighed. He was scared. She could see it in his face, so again he lashed out at her. She just hoped if it ever came to it, he wouldn't be too ashamed to let her help him. She couldn't imagine what this summer held for his family.

People wouldn't shut up about Harry, and it was driving Mia mad. After serving detention for hexing a student who wouldn't stop loudly proclaiming their theories as to what happened the night of the third task, Mia decided she would never be able to beat the other students into submission, as much as she wanted to. Instead she, Ron, Hermione, Gabe, and the twins did everything they could to distract Harry, talk about nothing, or something so unrelated to current events as possible. Most of the time Harry just sat there, not saying a word, his eyes tired and empty.

The only times Mia saw Harry with any type of smile or light on his face was when his owl landed at the breakfast table, and he would take the letter, and disappear somewhere to read and reply. Sirius was sending letters to Harry daily, and Mia didn't have the slightest bit of jealousy. Harry needed someone who could help him through the horrors he'd faced, and if anyone knew about overcoming horrors, it was Sirius.

Sirius had changed so much in the last year. She'd seen the change first in his letters, and how he spoke, and then more firmly when she had seen him after months apart. He hadn't just worn a shell of jovial fun but had truly started to change into someone who could laugh and joke without the smile cracking into bitter sorrow at the end. And the night of the third task, when everything had gone to hell, he had stood in the darkness of the night worried out of his mind for Harry, but the bleak horror she had seen in his eyes the summer before whenever darkness approached was gone. It gave her hope that nothing in life couldn't be overcome.

When they entered the great hall for the leaving feast, Mia was surprised to see it void of any colorful decoration. Instead black drapes hung behind the teachers table, a mark of respect for Cedric. The real Professor Moody sat at the teachers table, twitchier and jumpier than his body double had ever been. It was understandable. If Mia had spent a year locked in a trunk, she wouldn't be fit for big gatherings either.

The room was quiet and somber compared to any of their previous feasts. When Dumbledore rose at the end to give his leaving speech, silence fell completely. He looked over the room with a sad expression, landing finally on the Hufflepuff table.

"The end of another year. There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight, but I must first acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting here, enjoying our feast with us. I would like you all, please, to stand, and raise your glasses, to Cedric Diggory."

Everyone rose. The benches made noise, but no one else did as every person in the hall stood and raised their goblets. Everyone spoke in one low voice "Cedric Diggory."

Once everyone had sat, Dumbledore went on to speak of Cedric's qualities and achievements, and then he spoke of his death. "His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about. Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort."

Panic spiked through Mia's chest. She knew this but hearing it out loud again brought back the fear and anxiety of that night in the hospital wing, hearing about his return from Harry. Fearful whispers spread around the room and people started at Dumbledore with shock and horror.

"The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so — either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you so, young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend that Cedric died as the result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory. There is somebody else who must be mentioned in connection with Cedric's death. I am talking, of course, about Harry Potter."

Everyone in the room turned to stare at her table, and at Harry a few seats away. Mia felt a spark of anger for Dumbledore calling him out. Harry didn't want this, he wanted to forget it all, not be thrown into a spotlight.

"Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemort. He risked his own life to return Cedric's body to Hogwarts. He showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this, I honor him. The Triwizard Tournament's aim was to further and promote magical understanding. In the light of what has happened — of Lord Voldemort's return — such ties are more important than ever before."

Dumbledore went on to talk about the friendships and connections they had built over the year, and how crucial this would be in the light of Voldemort's return. He said, "we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided" and those words drilled themselves into Mia. He said Voldemort's gift was for spreading discord and enmity among people, and that friendship and trust would be crucial as they all faced very dark days to come. He said some of them had already suffered from the hands of Voldemort, and that some had already had their lives torn apart. Mia couldn't help glancing at Draco, who glared at Dumbledore with anger and rage. She wanted to help him so bad, but she didn't know how.

At last, Dumbledore finished. "Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory."

* * *

The next morning Mia said goodbye to Professor McGonagall with a somber hug. She was sad to be leaving the castle, and the stability and protection it had always provided. She didn't know what awaited her away from those stone walls.

Harry had to return to his cousin's house for the beginning of summer. Sirius had explained Dumbledore's reasonings to both him and her but still, she felt terrible for him. Either way Sirius promised he could spend the second half of summer with them, and Mia wasn't dreading it. That part of her that had felt possessive and jealous over Sirius' attention had relaxed. Somewhere over their correspondences of the year Mia had grown secure in the relationship she had with Sirius, with her dad. And there was a room in that relationship for Harry.

She stood at the bottom of the steps outside of Hogwarts and looked up at the castle, so much fear and trepidation about what was to come. Gabe appeared at her side a moment later, his occlumency book in his hands. He was another constant in her life, someone she could depend on when everything else was unknown.

"All this theoretical application is getting me nowhere." He snapped the book shut and looked at Mia, a plotting look in his eyes. "Mia, would you be willing to try and brew some veritaserum this summer, to see if I can resist it? It's the closest to mimicking the skills I'm likely to get."

"Yeah that might be fun." Mia smiled thinking about all the questions she could ask her boyfriend while he was under the truth serum.

"I don't think I like the look on your face right now," Gabe said seriously. "You wouldn't ask anything mean, would you?"

Mia grinned harder. "I guess you will just have to work hard on your occlumency skills and hope for the best."

And suddenly Mia wasn't so worried about leaving the castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Insert frozen2 theme song here* Into the unknooooooooooooooown!  
> Into the unknOOOOOooOOOooOhoOhoOhown!  
> Ok, I'm done.


	131. Progress

Her first morning home, Mia woke up early and headed downstairs to start breakfast, her message book in hand. It had been humming quietly when she woke up, and she planned to read and reply to Gabe while she cooked. To her surprise Sirius was up and dressed, sitting at the kitchen table writing a letter.

"To Harry?" she asked.

"Yes, he had a rough night." Sirius looked up at her and the somber look on his face melted away to a smile. "I've missed having you around, kid." He held out an arm, slowly, as if not sure of the movement, and Mia responded, accepting the tight hug.

After their small moment of intimacy, Sirius went back to writing his letter, and Mia started chopping potatoes. The scratches of Sirius' quill died, and Mia looked over to see him deep in thought, staring out the kitchen window. He turned to Mia and a small spark of laughter lit his eyes when he saw her watching him.

"I don't suppose you would be up for another small project in addition to helping Moony?"

The new moon had been two nights ago, so now the two week process of nightly transformation, and meditation coaching was in effect. Last night he hadn't wanted Mia to stay up, it being her first night home, but tonight she wouldn't let him argue his way out of it. Sirius had not been a great teacher for him, when they got together, they acted too much like themselves at fourteen. She had been successful in coaching Gabe, and she hoped she could do the same for him. He had decades of experience turning into a werewolf, and two months of transforming into a true wolf. She would help him do this before summer was over. She smiled at Sirius. "You know me and projects, I'm game for anything. What did you have in mind?"

Sirius smiled sadly. "Do you think you would be up for brewing the dreamless sleep potion for Harry? He's not sleeping well, and I have a feeling it will only get worse now he's away from Hogwarts. I don't want him taking it every night, but a good night's sleep can go a long way towards healing. I should know." He smiled again at Mia for this last point. The potion she'd made for him had let him sleep soundly, and months of good nights later, he really was healthier.

"Yeah, I have the recipe in a book upstairs. I may have to go to Diagon Alley. Maybe Gabe will join me," she said thinking aloud.

Sirius sighed dramatically. "Is that _boy_ going to be hanging around all summer again?" he asked in a pained tone.

Mia smiled and opened her message book. "Yes, if I have anything to do with it, he will be." She read Gabe's message.

_Alright, I spent the whole evening talking to my mom and dad about whatever they wanted just to prove I'm not wholly obsessed with you. Now that's over, when do you want to hang out?_

Mia looked back at Sirius. "Do you really have a problem with Gabe being over all the time?"

Sirius chuckled. "I'm your father. It's my job to have threatening vocal objections to any boy in your life. Let me have it." He smiled and shrugged. "But Gabe's a good kid. I like him."

"I do too."

Mia scribbled a quick reply in their message book: _Breakfast? And then Diagon Alley for potions ingredients?_ And then closed the book and got back to cooking. Gabe arrived just as Sirius was handing his letter off to Hedwig for Harry. They made a very intentional effort not to kiss or be too affectionate in front of Sirius. Whether he liked Gabe or not, Mia didn't want to give him too much ammunition to express his fatherly duties.

They had a wonderful afternoon in Diagon Alley, just being together without any pressure or expectations around them. Holding hands was a lot more enjoyable when you didn't have a school full of students and professors around you with their own opinions on the subject.

They talked about Gabe's family. From the way they talked about the events of the third task, and hinted at recent communications with Sirius, Remus and Dumbledore, Gabe suspected his parents and older brother were in the Order. It was clear, when Sirius and Remus avoided it in letters, and changed the subject the night before at dinner, the Order was being reformed, and Gabe and Mia wanted to be a part.

After lunch at the leaky cauldron, and ice cream at Florean Fortescue's, they bought everything they needed for the dreamless sleep potion, and for the veritaserum Gabe wanted Mia to use on him, then they went back to Mia's for dinner. Tonks joined them. She shared a small sly smile with Mia as she and Remus left for a walk around the village after dinner. Sirius told her later things seemed to have shifted between them. Tonks had been by almost every night since the third task, depending on her shift at work, and Remus no longer opposed their relationship.

Meditation and transformation practice the next few nights with Remus went well. Apparently not being teased and yelled at, he had a much easier time focusing. Mia used the same methods she had used with Gabe when teaching him, and together Remus was able to transform whole limbs into wolf form by the end of the week. Now that he was showing real progress in transforming, Alec sat in several nights to observe, and learn more about the transformation process.

The veritaserum took a week to brew. When it was ready, she asked Gabe again if he was really sure he wanted to try it. Gabe insisted. As he explained, occlumency was the same skill that could protect a mind from a legilimens, as well as from the Imperius curse, and the effects of veritaserum. As Mia didn't know legilimency, and wasn't going to perform an unforgivable curse, veritaserum was Gabe's best hope at practice.

When the potion was ready, Gabe sat in Mia's desk chair in her library.

"Should you tie me up?" he asked.

"What for?"

"I dunno, it would make it feel more like a proper interrogation."

Mia laughed and grabbed the twine she used for hanging up herbs. If Gabe wanted to be dramatic about it all, she would oblige. When he was securely tied to the chair, she gave him a few drops of potion on his tongue. Gabe's face grew relaxed and his eyes unfocused. Then he seemed to shake himself and his gaze sharpened, muttering to himself. "Clear your mind, no emotions."

"Ok, let's see if it's working. What's your favorite color?" Gabe's face got tight and tense and he clamped his lips together. His eyebrows scrunched together like he was in pain and sweat broke out on his forehead. He was breathing heavy, and Mia was worried at first that she'd messed up the potion. Then at last he forced out a word.

"Orange! My favorite color is orange!" He gasped for air, a relieved happy smile on his face.

Mia frowned. "No, it's not. That was a lie, right?"

Gabe smiled, his eyes unfocused and relaxed again. "Yeah! It was a lie! I did it! I resisted telling the truth! Oh Mia, I did it! My favorite color is blue of course. Blue like your eyes, your wonderful eyes, like two lipid pools of clear fresh water. Like a mountain lake, frosted over with ice and snow in the middle of a stunning forest. I could gaze into your eyes for hours if you'd let me, but whenever I try you always give me a funny look but then I kiss your nose and you smile. God your smile is amazing. It lights up my chest like I've been hit with a stunning spell, and I just want to burst!"

Mia stopped laughing long enough to put her hand over Gabe's mouth. He kept talking into her hand for another twenty seconds before he finally stopped. "Gabe, you're trying not to tell me the truth, remember?"

Gabe started talking again, and then he nodded, and his eyebrows wrinkled up in focus again as his eye sharpened. Mia couldn't help it; he was so cute. She kissed him in between his wrinkled eyebrows. Then on his nose. Then she moved her hand and kissed his lips.

A short time later she moved away from his chair and cleared her throat. "Ok! Next question."

"What the bloody hell are you two doing in here?"

Mia jumped and turned to see Sirius standing in the doorway. Mia looked at Gabe, tied to the chair, his cheeks blushed in his dark face, and then looked back at her dad, her own cheeks burning.

"Moony! I need you up here!" Sirius yelled down the hallway.

Mia rolled her eyes. "Relax. I'm helping Gabe with his occlumency skills."

Sirius screwed up his face. "That's not a metaphor for anything is it?"

Mia sighed. "No, I gave him truth serum and now he's trying to resist it."

Sirius's face went blank. And then slowly, very slowly a grin broke over his face. "Oh, I can help with that."

"Uh oh."

Sirius took two big steps into the room and Mia moved to block him. "No! Dad! You aren't allowed to interrogate my boyfriend!"

He kept going and Mia shoved against him, trying to force him out of the room. Sirius chuckled and kept trying to push his way past. For a man who'd been skin and bone a year ago, he really was stronger now.

"Why not? You're the one who tied him to a chair and gave him the potion! Am I really at fault for asking him a few simple questions? Hey Gabe!" Mia tried to cover his mouth with her hand and he pinned first one of her arms, then the other behind her back. "Gabe, have you ever touched my daughter in a way I would not approve of?" Sirius asked.

"Dad!" Sirius let her arms go, and she resumed trying to push him out, he laughed and fought her off easily.

"That's quite impressive actually," Remus said from the door.

Mia looked over her shoulder. Gabe's eyes were sharp, and pained, his face screwed up like someone had just punched him in the stomach, but his lips were closed tight.

"Really Sirius," Remus said lightly. "Do you really want to know what the kids get up to?"

Sirius grimaced at the thought and left the room without a word.

Remus chuckled and turned back to Gabe. "Try telling something that's true, but just not the truth you want to give. It should make it a bit easier."

Gabe closed his eyes. "Yes, I hold her hand all the time, and he doesn't approve of that one bit." Gabe said, and then his face relaxed. "That really is easier. You really are a fantastic teacher, Remus. DADA really isn't the same without you. I mean don't get me wrong, I enjoyed being taught by a real live Auror, but he wasn't really an Auror was he? Who knows what we will get next year, maybe a vampire or a pink poke a dotted frog."

Remus shook his head, laughing softly. "Very nice Gabe, but I think your next challenge needs to be not saying everything that comes to mind. Blocking a legitimist, or resisting a truth serum are only so valuable a skill if anyone can tell you're blocking them by the look on your face, or how you blather on." Remus left, a smile on his face.

"Thanks Remus!" Gabe called after him. "Really is a great guy, our werewolf."

Mia laughed and shook her head at her boyfriend. "Do you want another question, or should we stop for the day?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some cute fluff before we move into the real stuff.


	132. Number Twelve

The night before the full moon Mia looked down at the sleek grey wolf panting softly before her. She laughed and transformed into a tiger. "You did it! You did it!" She pounced on Remus and he darted out of the way, a playful look on his wolf face. He jumped at her with a yip and they chased each other around the cellar for a moment.

Sirius came downstairs, a disapproving look making his face. "Now what am I going to do with the two of you? Oh, I know!" He turned into a big black shaggy dog and joined their game.

Finally, Mia ran up the cellar stairs and out the back door into the small wood behind the house, the two men chased, and they had fun running about for an hour. Afterwards Remus transformed back and forth between wolf and man three times before passing out on the couch, a big smile on his face.

Sirius chuckled. "Little tyke, gone and tired himself out." He levitated his friend and started for the stairs.

"Dad?"

Sirius stopped and turned.

Mia hesitated. "Do you think it will work?"

"I guess we will have to see tomorrow night." He looked back to his friend. "He already looks better though."

He was right. It was the night before the full moon and Remus didn't look pale and sickly like he normally would. Instead his face was pink from running around, and the bags under his eyes were the smallest Mia had ever seen them. Mia quietly hoped it would work, and she hadn't just gotten up her godfather's hope for nothing.

The next morning Tonks, Gabe and Alec came over for breakfast. Mia made crepes, and the mood was jovial and excited.

There was a sound from the fire in the next room, and a light voice spoke "knock, knock".

Mia looked at Gabe. "Is that Dumbledore?"

Sirius set down his fork and left for the sitting room. After a quiet greeting he came back, Dumbledore in tow.

"Join us, we are having a bit of a celebratory breakfast," Sirius said.

"Oh, thank you!" Dumbledore greeted them all and took a seat, and Mia got up to fill a few more pancake shells with cream and strawberries. "I take this to mean we have been successful," Dumbledore asked looking at Remus.

Remus grinned and looked at Tonks who smiled back. "We won't know for sure till the full moon, but I'm officially an animagus. And I feel amazing. I'm not feeling the moon's approach at all."

"Well done, well done indeed." Dumbledore thanked Mia as she set down the pancakes in front of him. "And how about your other task, have you been successful there?" he asked Remus.

Remus sighed and rubbed his face. "They don't like me Dumbledore. They never have. They hate me for the little acceptance I've gotten from the wizarding community."

Mia looked at Gabe and he looked back. They had been dying to know what Remus was up to. They knew they all had secret missions from Dumbledore, and each time Remus left with his unspoken task, her curiosity grew. Maybe if they pretended they weren't listening they wouldn't be sent away.

"And what about Miss Black's discovery?" Dumbledore asked. Mia looked up and saw him smiling down at her, a twinkle in his eye. "Could we leverage that to our advantage?"

Did that mean Remus was dealing with other werewolves?

Remus shook his head and grimaced. "No. Well, mostly no. As a whole, they would see it as a threat or an insult, as if we were trying to exterminate them, not accept them for what they are. One on one they would likely be persuaded, but do we really want to leverage a cure for their support? It feels wrong and manipulative, and if it got out to the community as a whole, they would see it the same way."

Dumbledore nodded sadly. "I fear you are right. Keep working on them. Even if just one mind is turned to support us, it will help."

"Anything else we can help with Dumbledore?" Alec asked. Gabe nudged Mia under the table. He was right, Alec was definitely in the Order.

"My current worry is finding a base of operations, somewhere that could be made secret from our enemies. A safehouse. If any ideas come to you, I would be more than grateful."

"I may know of a place Dumbledore. I am the rightful heir after all." Sirius was frowning at the table then looked up with a grimace at Mia. "Your grandparents' home, my childhood home. It's a nasty place. Probably been closed up since they died. I don't fancy going back, just think of the nasty things that have probably moved in over the years with all the dark artifacts inside. We would have to clean it out, but it's available."

Dumbledore nodded thinking it over. "I think that would work quite well. You don't mind Sirius, giving it over for the Orders to use?"

Sirius smiled, and it wasn't a happy smile. "I'd burn it down if it wouldn't cause more trouble. You can have it."

"Excellent. Maybe we can pop over today and have a look after we finish this amazing breakfast?"

"Professor Dumbledore," Gabe started. Mia squeezed his hand under the table, and he squeezed back. "Is there an age requirement for joining the order?"

Dumbledore frowned slightly as he examined Mia and Gabe.

"I am not one to doubt the strength and abilities of children but do consider for a moment what you are asking. Joining the order is committing your life to our goals."

"But I want to be an author. To fight dark wizards, for the good of mankind. Isn't that the ultimate goal of the Order?"

"Perhaps," Dumbledore frowned. "But think instead if you joined, who else would then believe they have the right to join? Could we say no to others who are equally driven, if not yet emotionally ready?"

Gabe frowned. "You mean Harry."

Dumbledore sighed. "Yes, I do mean Harry. He has gone through much this year and I fear entangling him in the missions of the Order would not help."

"But Dumbledore, surely having a mission, or a goal would help him. He's going mad with nothing to focus on."

"Sirius, please. We've spoken on this before, and you know my views. I ask that you respect them." Sirius frowned and nodded, and Dumbledore turned back to Mia and Gabe. "Regardless of your Order status, I am sure you two will see and hear things no one will be capable of preventing. We will need your promise of secrecy all the same." Mia and Gabe of course nodded. Dumbledore tapped his chin in thought. "And perhaps when Harry does join you for the second half of the summer, you may help with providing reason when this argument comes up again."

Mia frowned but nodded. She wasn't sure of her ability to reason something she didn't totally agree with.

After breakfast, Alec left and Tonks and Remus decided to stay behind and clean up while Sirius, Dumbledore, Gabe and Mia headed to see her ancestral home.

They apparated to an empty street in the middle of a crowded neighborhood. Mia felt sick after the side along apparition.

Sirius patted her back. "It's not so bad when you're the one apparating," he told her. Gabe looked equally as uncomfortable as he held onto Dumbledore's arm for balance.

"Which one is it?" Dumbledore asked with a smile as Gabe let go of his arm and bent over taking a deep breath.

"Just there." Sirius pointed to the most rundown house on the street. "Number Twelve Grimmauld Place," He said with disgust, the shutters were bent and warped, the paint was peeling, and it generally looked grim and old. "It's unplotable, and has every muggle repelling charm you can think of."

The shabby black door had a silver snake knocker on it, and Mia rolled her eyes. Sirius tapped the door with his want, and a series of clunks and metal snaps sounded on the other side, before the door cracked open. Sirius pushed the door the rest of the way and it creaked terribly. It was dark, and the air was musty. Sirius lit his wand and stepped inside, Mia followed with Gabe at her back, and Dumbledore took up the rear. Mia reached for her wand, then remembered it was summer, and she couldn't do magic, especially in front of her headmaster.

"There should be a light," Sirius whispered. There was a hiss, and a gas light on the wall flickered to life. The wallpaper was peeling, and the carpet was black, although in spaces it looked like it hadn't always been so. Spiderwebs stretched in a thick matte along the ceiling, and dark dingy portraits lined the hall.

"It's not so bad" Gabe said. Just then the door behind them flew shut and something on the wall started screaming. A pair of dingy violet curtains flew to the side and an old woman with a black cap and dress violently wailed at them. Her sickly yellow face stretched and morphed into a pained and gruesome expression and her eyes rolled in her head until they landed on Sirius.

"YOOUUUU!" she wailed. And her eyes started to pop out. "Blood traitor, abomination, shame of my flesh!" She screeched again.

Sirius darted to the painting trying to rip it off the wall, but it wouldn't come. Shut up you old bag!"

"And SPAWN OF MUDBLOODS! Filth! Scum! Begone from this place! HOW DARE YOU BEFOUL THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS!"

Her screeching woke the other paintings in the hall, and they all woke and started shouting. Mia covered her ears, trying to shield herself from the noise.

"Half-breed child of mudblood filth! BLOOD TRAITORS ALL OF YOU! GET OUT OH MY HOUSE!"

Dumbledore shot a spell at the painting and the figure in it went still. Sirius let go of the frame breathing heavy and closed the curtains hanging on either side of the painting. He turned back and looked at her with a grim expression. "Mia, meet your grandmother."

Mia was suddenly very happy she had never met the woman in real life.

Dumbledore and Sirius shot spells at the rest of the paintings, until Mia's ears burned with the sudden silence. Gabe moved to her side and took her hand for the rest of the tour.

The house was worse than she imagined. There were a few doxy infestations, something oozing but alive in one room. Sirius showed Mia the black family tapestry, showing their family legacy traced out with ornate names and connected by gold threads. A family tree reaching back to the middle ages. 'The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black' it read. There were holes all over it where names had been burned off.

"Our legacy" he said, sticking a finger through a hole in the bottom. "She blasted me off when I moved in with James in sixth year."

Mia didn't blame him. She would have run from this house too.

He traced two gold lines to another hole. "Your mother," then he followed the two holes down to a third. He was frowning. "I doubt your name survived longer than a day after you were born. Tonks isn't on here, nor is her mother. Bellatrix and Narcissa are still there, they both turned out right."

Mia winced. Bellatrix had killed her mom. If that was the right way... she was so glad she hadn't grown up here.

He pointed to more names and gave brief explanations. There's Phineas Nigellus, my great-great-grandfather, and the least popular Headmaster Hogwarts ever had and Araminta Meliflua, cousin of my mother's, tried to force through a Ministry Bill to make Muggle-hunting legal. And dear Aunt Elladora, she started the family tradition of beheading house-elves when they got too old to carry tea trays. Of course, any time the family produced someone halfway decent they were disowned." Mia felt a small spark of pride at her little hole. She didn't want to be included in this memorial for the worst of society.

Sirius tried to pull down the tapestry, but it wouldn't budge. "Another permanent sticking charm. Maybe we can just burn it."

The house was huge, several times the size it appeared from the outside, and every room was contaminated with magical bugs or warped spells. But here and there Mia saw little signs of life. A china hutch filled with lots of things that felt very wrong had one of its glass panels very clean, showing the object inside, her grandmother's painting had been clear of cobwebs, and then the final evidence, the kitchen fireplace had embers in it.

"Is someone still living here?" Mia asked softly as she examined the scuffs on the dirty kitchen floor.

"Oh, no. I thought he would be long dead." Sirius turned to Dumbledore, a look of disgust on his face. "Kreacher!" Sirius called. A cupboard opened and the oldest most filthy house elf Mia had ever seen crawled out. He looked like he should be dead. So skinny, with a gaunt empty face. When he saw Sirius, his face contorted with horror and hatred.

"Oh, it's master, home at last," he said loudly, then in a quieter voice he continued. "Filthy disgrace of a blood traitor, how dare he come back and darken his mother's blessed home."

"Lovely," Sirius drawled.

"He will have to be sworn to secrecy and obedience in very clear language." Dumbledore sighed and turned to observe the rest of the kitchen. "It will take some work, but I believe this will suit. Sirius, write to Author and Molly and see if they will assist with the cleanup. Molly is very accomplished with such spells, and I know she's been antsy for some work." He turned back to Sirius with a gentle expression. "Will you be well here? I know revisiting the scene of past horrors can have a weight on one's soul, and you have worked so very hard to overcome your past already."

Sirius grimaced. "I do hate being back here, I can feel the weight of it already." He looked to Mia and put an arm around her shoulders. "But I'm a different person now than I was back then. And I have people in my life to keep me grounded this time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying SO hard to finish the last chapter today so it's edited and ready to post on the correct day. Guys. It's so hard haha. 😆😭


	133. Back Again

That night everyone came over to dinner, to celebrate with Remus. As the moon drew close to rising, he became tense, a small sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead, but then Tonks distracted him with a funny story, and before anyone knew it, the moon had been up for an hour and Remus was still Remus.

After everyone had left for the night, Remus drew Mia into a tight hug and held her for a long moment. "Thank you," he whispered in her ear, his voice hoarse. She tried to reject his thanks and tell him he'd done the hard part. But he shushed her. "I am so blessed, in so many ways to have you in my life, my Mia Bell. I can't wait to see the amazing things you accomplish when you're finally of age." He chuckled, his eyes full of tears. "The world better prepare itself."

He gave her one last hug and went up the stairs.

Ron's parents did agree to help clean up number twelve. In fact, they decided to move their family in once a few rooms were cleared. It only made sense for Mia and Sirius to also move in, although Mia could tell Sirius was dreading it. She didn't want to leave Meadow Lake and the rooms her mom had made for her any more than Sirius did. Remus also moved in, and Tonks stayed many nights too.

Dumbledore cast the Fidelius Charm on number twelve, making it so no one could find it under any circumstances, unless Dumbledore explicitly told them where it was.

Dumbledore made all of the not-old-enough-to-join-the-order-but-still-involved teens swear secrecy of all the orders going on, and that included telling Harry anything. It didn't seem fair. He was more involved than any of them but was being left out. For all Dumbledore said he appreciated the abilities of youth, he didn't listen to them.

Mrs. Adewumi was REALLY good at cleaning. Mrs. Weasley was also excellent at cleaning, but Mrs. Adewumi through her work, had access to experimental spells and potions that made the monumental task much more possible. They still hadn't found a way to remove the portraits stuck to the walls downstairs, but they had managed to remove the mold smell from the carpet through the house. Mia, Gabe, and all the other underaged kids still had to help clean the muggle way, but progress was being made. Mia still got plenty of time to work on her own projects, or interrogate Gabe as he improved his Occlumency skills, or just spend a little time together, just her and Gabe.

Hermione came to stay a few weeks into summer, and between her and Ron's little sister Ginny, who Mia had finally started to connect with, the summer was a joy. Remus and Sirius were constantly in and out of the house on secret missions, but when things were calm, and the work was done, they would gather in the kitchen for meals together as one huge family. Tonks spent more and more time with Remus, and while no one said anything, it was clear they were officially together. Everything felt like it was falling in place around her, while the world outside loomed with unknown dread.

Mia's other favorite pastime was helping the twins come up with new ideas for their Skiving Snackboxes, candies to make you sick long enough to get out of class. There were enough old poisonous and magical icky things in the house, they had fun experimenting new ideas. The mold growing in one of the upstairs bathrooms produced a terrible odor when in contact with saliva, something Mia never would have discovered personally. The twins had enough seed money from Harry donating his Triwizard winnings, that they were now placing adverts in the daily prophet. Mia was so proud of them. Where the money had come from was a big secret, but Mia had gotten it out of them.

The teens were not allowed to attend any of the order meetings, but that didn't really stop them. Fred and George had perfected one of their better inventions, Extendable Ears. A gross looking pair of ears connected by a long flesh toned string. If they snuck one ear into the kitchen where the order meeting was happening, they could extend the other upstairs so everyone could hear crowded around. The first time they were caught, threats were made. The second time, spells and enchantments were put in place to prevent snooping. George helpfully pointed out to the adults that they had already been sworn to secrecy, what did it matter if they learned more, but the adults were unwaveringly serious about the matter. The third time, their rooms were raided and almost all of their best tools were confiscated, and they only used their remaining set for really important meetings.

They still heard some reports of what was happening or picked up clues by overhearing halfway conversations. Harry had a constant guard of order members, although he didn't know it, and there was a second guard shift. Although they couldn't figure out what it was for. The ministry had started a smear campaign trying to discredit anyone loyal to Dumbledore and cover up any unusual activity that pointed towards Voldemort's return.

McGonagall showed up a few times, wearing the same muggle dress she'd worn to meet Mia for the first time back at the orphanage. She greeted the professor warmly and they had tea.

Halfway through the summer, Harry was attacked by a swarm of Dementors. He'd used the patronus charm to fend them off, but the ministry hit him with an underage use of magic penalty and threatened to expel him. Then there was a big meeting they couldn't slip an ear into, then everyone left, Moody, the real moody, Remus, Sirius, Tonks, Kingsley and a handful more, and when they returned, they brought back Harry to stay at number twelve until his hearing.

Harry was…. Different. After what he'd gone through at the end of term, then being alone and without any real news over the summer, Mia overheard him chewing out Hermione and Ron for keeping secrets, and it was clear he felt a little betrayed. It turned out even Sirius hadn't told him much, he'd written to him every day, and tried to help him with coping, but not knowing what was going on was driving Harry crazy. Mia didn't blame him.

Harry got to sit down with Remus and Sirius and was told as much of the truth about the order and Voldemort's activities as Mrs Weasley would allow, and Mia and Gabe muscled into the conversation along with Ron, Hermione, Fred and George. They weren't told much more than Mia and Gabe already knew, Voldemort was back, he was amassing followers, the ministry was covering it all up, and the order was trying to slowly and secretly make sure the right people knew the truth. The only new information that came out, or slipped out, was information about something Voldemort was looking for, some sort of weapon to give him more power.

Things were very tense leading up to Harry's hearing when Sirius took him to the ministry. He got off on all charges of course, and it was like a light was lifted from the house. Sirius beamed when they came home and told everyone. For the remaining days of break, the house was lighter and cheerier than it had likely ever been in a few hundred years.

On the last day of term their Hogwarts letters arrived. Better late than never.

Ron and Hermione were both made prefects, and it was clear Harry wasn't super thrilled about this. Gabe arrived at lunch, standing tall, his chest puffed out and hands behind his back casually. Mia poked the shiny badge on his chest.

"Oh look! You got a prat badge too!" she said, before standing on her tippy toes to give him a kiss.

"No kissing in the kitchen!" Sirius called out from the table, his head bent over a few parchments he wouldn't let Mia read. Order business.

"Would you prefer we kiss in a bedroom behind closed doors?" Mia asked sweetly.

"No! No kissing in bedrooms, no kissing in any room! No kissing!"

"Who's not allowed any kissing?" Tonks asked as she entered the kitchen. She paused by the table and kissed Remus on the cheek before sticking her tongue out at Sirius. Mia rolled her eyes, and she and Gabe headed for the hallway, talking quietly so as not to disturb the paintings.

"So, I take it Hermione is prefect?"

"Of course! I'm not bitter though, I wouldn't want to be in charge of calling people out for breaking the rules. Way too much pressure."

Gabe chuckled and shook his head. "I don't know, I think you would like scaring first years intentionally for a change."

Mia's eyes widened. "I didn't think of that. I would like scaring first years. Maybe I will just steal your badge when you aren't looking." When they were past the nosiest of the paintings Mia pushed Gabe up against a wall, and greeted him properly.

They were both red faced and breathing a little heavy when she moved away and continued up the stairs, pinning his badge to her own shirt. Gabe noticed her theft after he'd composed himself. "Hey!" He chased after her, and she giggled and ran up the rest of the steps. Gabe joined Mia in the room she shared with Hermione and Ginny as they all packed their trunks for school. "Congratulations on prefect, Hermione," Gabe said when they entered.

"Thank you!" Hermione said, turning. She seemed to inspect him for a moment and frowned. "Oh, I thought for sure you would have been made Ravenclaw Prefect."

Gabe Smiled. "I did," he said before flopping onto Mia's bed and lounging over the messy pile of her clean clothes.

"No, I did," Mia said, turning and showing her shiny new Ravenclaw prefect badge. Hermione frowned then smiled slightly, and Ginny grinned.

"So, I guess Harry is the boy's prefect then?" Gabe asked. Ginny shushed him, and Hermione winced and looked to the door. Gabe looked at Mia in confusion and she mouthed _Ron_. Gabe was surprised, but shrugged, not about to continue the topic.

Mrs. Weasley went to pick up school supplies for everyone in the house, and Mia felt a pang of sadness at not taking a trip to Diagon Alley for more potion supplies. This was the first year she didn't have any potions plans or schemes for herself. Remus was cured, and she didn't plan to take her discovery public just yet. She wanted to lead the discovery when it happened, and she couldn't do that from Hogwarts. And Remus wasn't quite ready to go publish with his change of status. Mia suspected it would make his tasks for the Order even harder. Things would keep till she graduated.

Gabe left before dinner to return to his family for the last night before term. At number twelve they had their own small feast courtesy of Mrs. Weasley who complained about cooking for so many, but clearly enjoyed it. They all laughed and joked together and enjoyed each other's company. Moody passed around an old photograph showing the first order of the Phoenix, and Mia smiled down at her father and mother arm in arm, surrounded by so many familiar faces, Remus, Harry's dad and mom, even Neville's parents. Mia wanted to be that next generation, if the adults around her ever let her. Watching Harry look over the picture, she could tell he felt the same.

She caught Remus and Tonks on the stairs as they headed up for bed. "Can we talk for a moment?" she whispered. He nodded and they headed up to his room.

"What's up?" Remus asked when the door was closed.

"When we're gone, will you make sure he doesn't stay in this house all alone?" she didn't have to say who she was talking about. Remus and Tonks knew.

Sirius was so much better now. It was like he had matured a decade in the time she'd known him. Between being a father to her, and a confidant to Harry, he still joked and laughed, but he took the adult point of view in conversations and was… responsible. Remus had commented on it one night when Sirius was off on order business. When he had come out of Azkaban, he was a loose cannon. He had been half insane with frantic determination to get Pettigrew, every choice he made had been short sighted. Remus attested this was because of Mia's presence, guiding him to fill that parental role, but Mia thought it was more. Her potion had helped. Helped take away the effects of his long term dementor exposure so he could deal with his emotions, instead of covering them with fire whiskey, but she thought Harry was also a big part of this. Sirius had spent so much time writing to him, and helping Harry deal with his own trauma, it made Sirius face his own. And then the Order got active again, and it gave Sirius true purpose.

He was better now. He didn't get dark and depressed as the sun went down. He still made stupid jokes that made Harry and Ron squirt pumpkin juice out of their noses, but when things mattered, he was serious and dealt with them in a mature and direct way.

But there were still times when she saw pain and bitterness in his eyes, when he regressed to his old mentalities, and they all revolved around number twelve. It was as if being back in the house, surrounded by his old things, it made him remember being that fifteen-year-old who wanted to run away. They'd had many arguments over his treatment of Kreacher, and eventually he started faking politeness and accidentally fell into kindness on occasion, but each time Kreacher ranted about Mia's grandma, or tried to steal another priceless possession Sirius wanted to toss out, Sirius would get a little moody. It was as if Sirius was trying to erase his past and Kreacher and the painting downstairs screaming her head off were forcing him to stay.

She didn't want Sirius staying in this house by himself, and after a moment Remus nodded and agreed. He glanced at Tonks who also nodded. "I will stay as long as I can. I know Dumbledore is planning an extended mission for me soon. Maybe I can suggest he go back to Meadow Lake after that. I'm sure I can find someone willing to stay here and keep the base active." It doesn't need much, just someone here to collect messages when Order people stop by."

"Maybe we can make a rotating schedule," Tonks suggested.

Mia nodded. "As long as it's not him and Kreacher cooped up together all year, I think things will be better."

The next morning was chaos. Harry needed a guard detail for his trip to Kings Cross, and Moody didn't want everyone leaving at once, so they left a few at a time, each with a guard. Moody transported all of their trunks in one go, which was nice. Remus and Mia left first. Sirius, Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, and a few unseen guards brought Harry next, and then everyone else trickled onto the hidden platform and picked up their trunks. She said goodbye to the family she was leaving behind, making sure Sirius and Remus promised to write often, even if security said they couldn't say much, and then she dragged her trunk onto the train.

Mia was lucky to find a compartment on the train by herself, and once she was settled, pulled out her message book to tell Gabe what compartment she was in so he could find her when he was done being a prefect. When she was done, she pulled out a novel she was reading, and settled in for the trip. A few people stopped by to talk and say hi. Ginny stayed for a while and told Mia all about Neville's new plant that shot stink sap all over the compartment. Hermione and Ron stopped by on their prefect rounds, and a few Ravenclaws she was friendly with. No one stayed too long, and Mia preferred it, as she could get back to her book.

The compartment door opened again and this time to Mia's delight Gabe appeared. He tosses the badge to Mia. "Your turn to be in charge, Streak. I'm done for the day." He flopped onto the seat next to her, kissed her cheek and relaxed.

She set down her book and attached the pin to her robes. "So, who else are prefects?"

"Your darling cousin."

"Really? How did he look?"

Gabe frowned. "Normal mostly, but there was something else there... Something grim. He covered it well though."

Mia frowned. She should check up on him.

"So why are you in here by yourself?" Gabe asked.

Mia smiled and held up her book. Gabe laughed. "You're such an introvert." He smiled, his eyes full of affection.

"It's just so much more awkward when you aren't here to carry the conversation."

"But be honest, if we had a compartment full of people quietly reading, or one with me carrying the conversation, which would you prefer?"

Mia winced. "Is the conversation about quidditch?"

Gabe laughed again. More people stopped by as the train wound closer to the castle, and this time, with Gabe there, a few stayed. Roger Davis laughed when he saw Mia wearing Gabe's pin, Marietta sneered and said it was incredibly disrespectful. Mia just threatened to give her detention, and she left in a huff. All in all, it was a wonderful journey.

At the welcome feast, the sorting hat sang an unusual song, warning against students becoming internally divided. The ending of the song seemed to ring out through the hall:

"Listen closely to my song:

Though condemned I am to split you

Still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfill my duty

And must quarter every year

Still I wonder whether sorting

May not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

The warning history shows,

For our Hogwarts is in danger

From external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her

Or we'll crumble from within.

I have told you, I have warned you...

Let the Sorting now begin."

The song unnerved Mia, and added a fear into the back of her mind, but it was when the new DADA teacher stood up, and made a speech, cutting off Dumbledore with a light ' _Hem, hem_ ,' that the real worry started. Professor Umbridge came around the teachers table to stand in front of the podium and made a speech. It was such an odd event for someone to cut off Dumbledore, everyone in the room started with their full attention.

She gave a soft, flowery speech about how they would all be great friends, and how important nurturing and properly teaching them was and how much importance the Ministry of Magic put in the traditional teaching methods. She said "progress for progress's sake must be discouraged," and went on to talk about the differences in good and bad changes and pruning practices that should be prohibited.

Mia could tell most students found the teacher odd, and maybe a bit boring, but Mia read between the lines. Umbridge was here at the Ministry's request and was going to make sure Dumbledore and his ideas that Fudge disagreed on so deeply didn't infect Hogwarts. Dumbledore was the only one trying to prepare now that Voldemort was back, and here was the Ministry, interfering with Hogwarts, and keeping an eye on Dumbledore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost at the end! The next few chapters will be much longer than usual, because cutting them up just felt lame. They will also be VERY fast, so prepare yourself! I hope you enjoy!


	134. Fifth Year

Fifth year was worse than Mia could imagine. It was clear right away that Umbridge was bad news, after their first DADA class when it was made clear they would never touch a wand, and Umbridge gave Harry detention for saying Voldemort was back in class. If she hadn't focused so sharply on Harry as the aggressor, Gabe and Hermione both would have been in detention along with him.

Then Umbridge was granted the role of High Inquisitor for the Ministry of Magic and started "inspecting" the other teachers and their classes. It was a little funny watching a few of the teachers like McGonagall get inspected, as Mia's favorite teacher didn't give Umbridge a chance to take control, but others like Professor Sinistra were clearly afraid of the woman. Apparently, the inspections went badly for the divination teacher, and actually had Hermione feeling bad for her least liked teacher.

Hermione started suggesting Harry teach them DADA. Voldemort was back, and they all needed to learn how to defend themselves. The Ministry didn't want them learning practical magic, but they needed it. Mia and Gabe were one hundred percent on board with the idea, and recommended use of the Room of Requirement, but Harry needed a little convincing. Apparently, his detentions with Umbridge were enough, for he agreed, and they had their first recruitment meeting set for the first Hogsmeade weekend.

After Harry's outburst in class about Voldemort being back, word started getting around, and a few people approached Mia to ask if she thought it was true. She and Harry were kind of cousins after all, and she was seen as in his inner circle. Somehow over the years Mia had earned a little respect from her classmates even when she hadn't realized it was happening. At first Mia didn't know what to do about the questions, and then she realized them for the opportunity they were. She boldly told her classmates who asked that Harry was telling the truth, and that the Ministry didn't want the truth to get out. So instead of properly warning and preparing everyone, they had sent Umbridge to prevent the students from learning to defend themselves. This clicked in the minds of everyone she spoke to. It was an easy leap after seeing all the slander in the paper, then getting a teacher who didn't allow them to draw their wands. She told them if they wanted to know more, to come to the meeting place on the first Hogsmeade weekend. Gabe, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all had similar conversations, and when the Hogsmeade weekend finally arrived, the Hog's Head was packed with nervous students who listened to Hermione and Harry's pitch.

Everyone who showed up to the meeting signed Hermione's signup sheet and joined what became Dumbledore's Army. When Marietta signed up with her best friend Cho, Mia signed, and later argued with Hermione about rejecting specific recruits, but her heart wasn't in the argument. Everyone deserves to learn to fight, even if Mia didn't like them.

Umbridge got word something was happening. She sent out a decree disbanding all student organizations. Gabe was livid, but their quidditch captain petitioned to get the Ravenclaw team re-formed, and it was approved.

Their first meeting was a total success. The room of requirement came through for them in extreme detail, offering everything they could ever need, and Harry taught everyone a disarming spell. They met often, and everyone learned things. Mia even noticed she was building relationships with more and more students who had never had time for her in the past. Neville was no longer afraid of her, and even congratulated her on a spell she did. It was a great time for everyone. Luna was even attending, and Mia was so happy to see the girl make friends.

Gabe had a lot of responsibilities now, that took time away from them being together. Between Prefect duties and quidditch training, he was gone a lot. But whenever he returned, he would toss Mia his badge with a wink and then would point any students to her when they came to him looking for advice from a prefect. Gabe found it endlessly funny and Mia played along, acting like a Ravenclaw prefect despite her Gryffindor robes.

Everyone warned them fifth year would be hard, but the workload was more than she could have imagined. It was like the teachers were trying to get them to have nervous breakdowns, and a few students even did before Christmas break. Mia did enjoy the more complex potions they created that year but writing essays every week for every one of her classes was not possible. Eventually she devised a study plan that worked for her. She completely ignored history of magic, and spent the entire class working on homework. She didn't care if she flunked it. She needed high marks in Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, DADA and Herbology if she wanted to be a healer, but she didn't need History, Astronomy, Arithmancy or Ancient Ruins, although she did like the last class. She left the homework for the classes she didn't need till the end and didn't make excuses when those professors asked why she didn't have her work. Professor Bins of course never noticed the lack of work or attention in his class. Gabe thought Mia's plan was absolutely unacceptable and declared if he got anything lower than E's in all of his classes, his mother would be sure to disown him, and his father would never look at him again. Mia was sure this was an exaggeration and was watching Gabe closely for signs of a breakdown. She had a feeling if any of her friends were prone to it, it would be Hermione or Gabe who both held themselves to higher expectations than was reasonable.

Hermione made brilliant coins, charming galleons to show the date of the next meeting to keep the DA alerted secretly and quietly, and Umbridge, knowing something was happening but unable to figure out what, kept poking and prying at the suspected DA members.

Communications with Remus and Sirius were frequent but painfully brief.

_She said yes! Don't worry, we are setting a date you can attend - R_

_Mia Bell I've been thinking you should drop out of school and move back home. You're smart enough already and I miss you. - Love Dad_

She missed them, and worried for them constantly, and each time an owl came for her, and she frantically read and reread the few lines that were usually meaningless nonsense. It told her they were still alive, still safe, and she was reassured.

The ministry kept passing educational decrees and Umbridge got more and more power. She even banned Harry, Fred and George from quidditch for getting in a fist fight. Gabe said it was a travesty, because it increased Ravenclaws odds, but it didn't seem right to win when Gryffindor sucked so badly.

The rest of Mia's time was spent tracking Draco down in dark corners asking him if he was okay and getting rebuffed at every turn. He was fine, she needed to keep her nose to herself and butt out of his business. But she could tell something was wrong, she could tell he wanted to say more. She could tell what was going on at home weighed on him and she could tell that a war was brewing inside of him. Eventually he pushed back when she tried to talk to him, and he snapped at her.

"I don't need your help, Black. I'm on the winning side after all. We know all about your side's plans. Hagrid talking to the giants, Lupin delegating with the werewolves, you're on the losing end Mia, it's not too late for you to join us you know."

Fear gripped her, if he knew about their plans, it meant Voldemort probably did as well. She would have to tell Sirius when she saw him, she could never put it in a letter, but Christmas was still so far away. "You know I never will switch sides, Draco."

"Well either way, when things come to a head, I will try to look out for you, make sure you aren't smashed in the uprising," Draco said with a smirk, but she could see something else behind it, fear.

Mia smiled sadly. It was the kindest thing he had ever said, even if it wasn't an offer she would ever take. "Same for you Draco. If you ever need it, I will be there for you."

In mid-November Gabe started acting really weird. One Saturday he started following her everywhere, standing outside of the bathroom when she went in. It was funny at first, then annoying. He wouldn't say why, as thought it was her fault for not knowing, and saying it out loud would make things worse. By evening she was tired and grumpy after a D on her transfiguration assignment and he walked her up the stairs to her common room. Peeves flew past and started chucking inkwells at them, they broke and splattered all over the stairs, but Gabe's shielding spell was fast and perfect, and Peeves blew raspberries at them and flew off.

Mia was done. She'd been stressing over a transfiguration lesson that she just couldn't get, and now she just wanted to go to bed. She sighed and kept going up the stairs.

"Mia! Be careful!" Gabe called.

"I DON'T need to be careful Gabe, I'm FINE Gabe! Would you give it a rest!?" She stepped on a large chunk of glass and started to lose her balance, Gabe reached out to catch her, and she shoved him away, then totally lost her balance and fell down half a flight of stairs. She tried to catch herself on the landing and something in her wrist cracked painfully.

"Seee! I knew it!"

She looked up at Gabe with confusion, pain bringing tears to her eyes. "What are you on about?" she whined.

"Your fourth year Arithmancy exams you predicted you would break a leg or arm today!"

Mia sighed and cradled her painfilled arm. "Are you going to help me up and to the hospital wing?"

He did.

Madam Pomfrey mended the break in moments with the swing of her wand and Mia looked on impressed. She really needed to check out a book on healing spells, if only she had the time this year to learn, but she did remember the spell, and tried it occasionally on broken chicken bones at dinner when she wasn't too tired from studying.

Christmas break couldn't come soon enough. It was the first one Mia would spend at home. She couldn't imagine Christmas with a family, but she was excited to try it. There were a few faces missing on the Hogwarts Express, although Mia didn't notice until Hermione told her Ron and Harry had left the night before. When they arrived at King's Cross, Sirius was grim and told her everything after they had safely arrived at number twelve. Arthur Weasley had been attacked, and Harry had dreamt it happening. They wouldn't have found Arthur in time to save him had it not been for Harry's dream. He'd been attacked by a snake, Voldemort's snake, and the implications were scary.

Remus and Tonks came home a short time later. True to their word, they had organized shifts for people to stay at number twelve. Sirius spent most of his time at Meadow Lake, but they were all staying at headquarters for Christmas to make things easier for the Weasley's visiting Author at St Mongo's. Mia congratulated Tonks and Remus on their engagement and asked when it would be.

"It's Tuesday," Remus said with a grin.

Mia counted the days in her head. "Christmas eve? That will be perfect!" She hugged them again.

"Wanna go dress shopping?" Tonks asked with a smile. They did. Tonks already had a dress, a very elegant one that swooped over the neckline and rested on the edges of her shoulders, but Mia had grown a bit, and didn't have anything right for the event. She got a very pretty blue dress that was super comfortable and made her feel confident.

The wedding was in the backyard of Meadow Lake, a beautiful flower covered arch was set up in front of the lake with twinkling lights hanging in the air over the grass. And the air was heated magically to the temperature of a cool summer evening. Tonks looked stunning, her hair in soft pink curls, and Remus looked so happy like he couldn't believe what was happening. He looked so good, like five or ten years had been lifted off his life. His face was still lined past his age, and he still had scars, but they were fading. His eyes no longer had continual bags under them and his face had real color for the first time Mia had ever seen. Who knew not going through a torturous transformation each month would have such an effect.

The wedding was small, only family and a few very close friends. Gabe looked handsome, in his old dress robes, his mom had extended to compensate for his extra few inches of growth. They danced several times under the twinkling lights until Sirius cut in on their third dance. They danced together father and daughter, and he spun her in the night and told her how proud he was of the woman she was becoming. Eventually he handed her back over to Gabe, for another dance.

Harry sat in a corner looking glum, and Hermione danced a few turns with George who beamed. Ron also sat with Harry, looking sulky. Mr. Weasley would be ok, he would be in St Mungo's for a long time because the snake had poison on its fangs that was preventing his healing, but he would live. Harry and the Weasleys were visiting him often.

As the evening drew to a close, everyone started heading back to their homes, or to number twelve, and Remus and Tonks stayed at Meadow Lake. After getting ready for bed, Mia was thirsty and headed down to the kitchen of number twelve. A light was on, and Sirius sat alone at the table wrapping gifts. He smiled when she entered, but he looked glum.

"Leaving it a little late, aren't you?" she asked leaning over his shoulder to see what he wrapped.

"Don't worry, I wrapped yours first just in case you came snooping," he said, gesturing to a small pile of badly wrapped packages. The item before him was a small hand mirror. He lifted it to show her. "It's a two-way. I forgot I had it but found it when I was going through old boxes at Meadow Lake. Harry's dad and I used them to communicate when we were younger, this one was his. I have another one, you see. Quite similar to yours and Gabe's books." He glanced up at Mia. "I was gonna give it to Harry. You don't mind, do you?"

She smiled. "Of course not. I think he needs a direct line to someone who cares for him more than I do right now. But I still miss you."

He sighed. "How could you possibly miss me when I send you so many little letters filled with nothing of importance." He looked so sad and bleak when he said it, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He patted her arm. "Oh, I'm fine. Don't pay me any mind. I just worry sometimes what the future will hold for you and Harry, you're even younger than we were when Voldemort first took power. At least we got to start our lives before they were taken away. We fell in love, got married, had kids. I worry you and Harry won't even get that much, that your lives will be taken before you even leave school." He trailed off.

She didn't have anything comforting to say, so instead she kept holding on to him, the only comfort she could provide. She didn't want that fate either but that didn't mean she was going to sit on the sidelines or hide and be safe. She would still fight for her world and her future, and she knew Harry would too. She didn't want to let go from that half hug. She had a feeling of looming dread that their time together would be short, and she didn't want to let go.

* * *

When they returned to school, Snape started teaching Harry occlumency, to both of their dread. But it confirmed something Sirius had said about Harry's dream. Somehow Harry was getting into Voldemort's mind. Gabe tried to engage Harry a few times, talk about the lessons, and the tricks Gabe had learned, but Harry didn't seem too interested. That confused Mia. If her mind was connected with Voldemort, she would do everything in her power to block it. She didn't get why Harry didn't feel the same.

Then a breakout at Azkaban was reported. Ten known death eaters escaped, one of which was Bellatrix, Mia's aunt, and the icon of most of her nightmares. She was now free to rejoin Voldemort and kill other little girls' mothers.

More and more educational decrees were set, and Umbridge gained more and more power. Mia's first detention was for stealing the prefect badge of a Ravenclaw student. Mia didn't try to argue and get Gabe in trouble. He too frequently had gotten trouble for mouthing off in class, along with Hermione and Harry, and the _"I must not speak out of turn"_ was barely healed on his hand. She tried to hide the cut from him afterwards, but he had winced over her _"I must not steal"_. Umbridge had managed to take a fun game between her and Gabe, and ruin it.

It was Marietta that betrayed them in the end. Mia got endless satisfaction knowing her years of dislike for the girl were totally justified. She betrayed them to Umbridge, and Dumbledore took all the blame for the meeting and Fudge used it as an opportunity to fire Dumbledore. But instead of carting him off to Azkaban, he fled, to better subvert the ministry. In his place they were given Umbridge as a new Headmistress, and Umbridge created the Inquisitorial Squad. Draco, and a few other Slytherin's joined, but Draco didn't seem like his heart was in it.

Fred and George decided they were done with their academic career, but before they would leave the school, they would do their all to ruin Umbridge's reign. In honor of their week of pranks, Mia broke out her old color changing potion. She knew she shouldn't do it. It was too much of a risk. Getting expelled would put all her hopes of becoming a healer one day in a small little bin and set it on fire. But really, Umbridge had asked for it. She did it at lunch a few weeks later. She didn't tell Gabe about her plans, but he was sitting next to her at lunch, when Umbridge started to turn green. Gabe had laughed along with everyone else, then looked worried at Mia. She had just smiled back, as Umbridge turned orange, and patted his arm.

Michael Corner came to her the next day. He was in the DA with her, before Umbridge crashed it, and he'd thought she would like to know she was most likely in the clear for her prank. He had been in a third-floor classroom when Umbridge had questioned her Inquisitorial Squad about who had caused the prank. Pansy had started to say she knew, the same person who did it to Lockhart in second year. Then Draco had cut her off, and said that was impossible, because that student had been a seventh year at the time and was no longer at Hogwarts. But they had been a Hufflepuff, so maybe it was someone else in the house who knew the trick. She thanked Michael Corner for his information, and stored the tale away in her memory, so she could pull it out whenever she doubted if Draco was worthy of saving. He had protected her when he had a chance to get her out of his hair. She wouldn't forget it.

Fred and George went out from Hogwarts with a bang, after turning an entire corridor into a swamp. It was glorious, and no teachers even tried to help Umbridge remove it.

The pranks got worse. Mia knew the twins would be honored by all the mischief completed in their name. Draco, as if realizing the way the wind blew, stopped enforcing rules with the Inquisitorial squad and instead lay back, watching the chaos. Umbridge was frantic, trying to put out fires and fireworks, left and right, and trying to stop Peeves from destroying the castle.

Despite the distractions, the fifth years still had exams, and the pressure was really getting to them. Mia had to get an E in Transfiguration if she wanted to go on with the class and one day be a Healer. She was reasonably confident she would get the O Professor Snape demanded, and charms and herbology she only needed an A. With all their DA lessons, she was sure she would pass DADA as well. But Transfiguration was her biggest obstacle. Gabe needed to pass the same classes as she did, as the Auror and Healer roles both required the same high level OWLs, but Gabe was convinced he would fail all of his exams, especially Potions. He had to get an O in potions to go on with Snape, and as his weakest class, he was frantic and would constantly call out to Mia asking for random facts or processes at all moments. The pages of their message book had become filled with study notes they scribbled to one another at all hours of the night.

Exams came, and when they did Mia had a sort of peace. It would all be over soon, one way or another. She couldn't cram anything more into her head as she waited for each exam. She thought she did ok in Transfiguration but wasn't really sure.

The exams were incredibly complex and very long, but in the end they were just exams, and she knew what to expect from them, until their Astronomy exam. While they were on the top of the astronomy tower, it was hard to miss the six figures in dark cloaks and wands out heading towards Hagrid's home on the edge of the forest. It was even harder to miss when they started attacking and hexing Hagrid, who ran and fought back, knocking out a few. The examiner tried so hard to keep everyone focused on their star charts, but it was a lost cause when McGonagall ran out onto the grounds trying to get the Aurors to stop, and four of them sent stunning spells at her that combined and hit her in the chest. She fell flat on her back and didn't move. Mia couldn't believe it as fear and horror gripped her. The exam ended and the fifth years left the tower.

Mia wanted to go to her, go to the hospital wing and help Madam Pomfrey, but Gabe stopped her. "You know McGonagall wouldn't want you getting detention over her. Those Aurors were out of line, do you really think they will take kindly to any witnesses?"

Mia nodded and reluctantly went to bed, but she woke very early the next morning after very little sleep to go see her before breakfast. Her History of Magic exam wasn't until noon anyways. She had planned to read over Gabe's notes, and catch up on everything she'd ignored over the year, but ultimately it didn't matter. McGonagall was more important.

McGonagall was still unconscious and Madam Pomfrey was preparing to send her to St Mongos. Madam Pomfrey said she was lucky to still be alive, and was so disgusted at what had happened, she would resign on the spot if she wasn't worried about what would happen to the students in her absence. Who would keep them in stock of murtlap essence for their detention scars, or fix the broken bones or jinxes caused by the overeager inquisitorial squad. Mia comforted the healer, and thanked her for all she did, then she did go down to breakfast, worried and afraid for the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy <3 comment your feelings.


	135. The Ministry - Part One

Mia's History of Magic exam didn't go great, but she didn't really expect much from it anyways. She knew some of the answers, she'd paid attention through four years of the class after all and had read about seventeen chapters of notes right before the exam, but there were definitely gaps in her memories. She didn't remember names and dates, but she knew the general stories. What she didn't remember clearly, she made up. Where she drew a total blank, she made up really funny and super unlikely answers so hopefully someone grading her test would enjoy failing her.

Then, in the middle of the exam, Harry had some kind of fit. He fell out of his desk and started screaming. She knew all about his dreams by now, and when Snape had stopped agreeing to teach him, Hermione urged Harry to work with Gabe. Gabe was totally up for it, hoping to learn some of what Snape had taught Harry, but Harry usually seemed distracted, and not totally into the discussions. Gabe told Mia he didn't think he wanted to block out the visions.

She had been exhausted that day too, after being up most of the night doing their astronomy exam, then worrying over McGonagall all night, so she understood perfectly that Harry would fall asleep during a subject so boring they were somewhat programed to fall asleep in, but it just mean to Harry that his dream, or vision was not as private as he would have liked.

Professor Tofty tried to get Harry off to the hospital wing, but he refused. Instead he was sent to get a drink of water and didn't return. When the exam was over, Mia and Gabe, Ron and Hermione went to find Harry. Something bad had happened, and they needed to know what.

When he told them Voldemort had Sirius, dread filled Mia. He told them all about his vision, Voldemort in the department of mystery, torturing Sirius and trying to get him to take the weapon for him. Harry wanted to go, now to rescue him, but the others weren't so sure. How could they get there? How could Voldemort be there in the middle of the day? Hermione said it was too unlikely, and that it sounded like a trap. This of course set Harry off.

Luna and Ginny came in while they were arguing, and Hermione came up with a deal. With McGonagall gone, they didn't have a way to alert any order members, Ron and Harry flat out refused to go to Snape, he would be fine with Sirius dying, and they weren't totally convinced he wasn't hurting Harry instead of helping with the occlumency lessons. Mia wasn't so sure but stopped arguing. If Harry's plan didn't work, she could go tell Snape herself. Hermione promised to help Harry get word out, or if there was absolutely no way to get word to another order member, she would help rescue Sirius. Mia was surprised at Hermione but was of course on board.

The first thing they checked was the two-way mirror Sirius had given him for Christmas. Harry had used it all term, and Sirius usually answered, but not always immediately. He didn't come this time, but Hermione wasn't satisfied. "He could be in the bathroom," she insisted. So they came up with a plan to use Umbridge's fireplace, the only one in the school not under guard, to communicate with number twelve. Either they would get Sirius, or whoever was on duty if Sirius was out on a mission. They could tell who ever was on duty what happened, and they would send the rescue party for Sirius.

So, they planned.

Ron went to distract Umbridge, Ginny and Luna would stop students from going near the school, Gabe went to set off some more fireworks, and Mia to find the Inquisitorial Squad, and tempt them into taking more points from Gryffindor. They had won the Quidditch Cup after all, thanks to Ron, and not all the points had been deducted from them yet.

Mia found Warrington, a rather dim Slytherin surrounded by a few other Inquisitorial Squad members, and just started walking around in front of him, smiling happily. It was the perfect lure, he started deducting points for too much joy, then went on from there. Another Slytherin, a third year she didn't know well, ran into the courtyard and told them Umbridge's office alarm spell had gone off, and to round up anyone suspicious. Warrington looked at Mia and Mia looked at him, then pulled out her wand. She was halfway through her jinx when he punched her in the nose.

Everything went white, then black, it hurt so bad she couldn't think, and blood was rushing down her face, then she felt ropes slither around her, and someone stuck a gag in her mouth, jostling her nose, and she came to with sudden and alert pain. It was so hard to breathe. With her nose broken and bleeding and her mouth gagged, it was all she could do to breathe. Someone was carrying her by her ropes, they cut into her arms and sides painfully, and it looked like they were heading towards Umbridge's office. She could just see as they came in sight of Ginny standing guard when one of them hexed her from behind. Neville was walking by and tried to jump in but also got hexed. From the other end of the hall came more Slytherin's dragging Luna, Ron, and Gabe. Gabe's lip was bloody, and when he saw Mia his eyes went wide over his gag. She couldn't imagine how she looked, her nose having bled all over her face. They were all dragged into the office where Harry sat, Umbridge holding a fist full of his hair, and Hermione also in ropes. Draco appeared with Snape, his eyes went wide at the sight of Mia as she was shoved into a kneeling position with the others, lined up on one side. She desperately wanted to know what Harry had learned. Was her dad ok?

Umbridge asked Snape for more veritaserum, and he told her he'd already given her his whole stock, and it took a month to brew more. Mia almost smiled, except for the gag, and broken nose... veritaserum took three days to brew, Snape was still on their side. When he made to leave, Harry decided it was worth the risk and called after the Professor.

"He's got Padfoot in the place where it's hidden!"

Mia's blood ran cold, and the pain in her face disappeared for just a moment as her head swam. What had Harry heard in the fire that had him convinced? Could it really be true that her dad was being held and tortured by Voldemort? She hadn't really believed it at first, sure Hermione was right, it was a trap, and there was no way her dad was really in trouble. Harry just hadn't practiced Occlumency enough.

Umbridge asked Snape what Harry meant, but he played stupid and left. Then Umbridge seemed to see she had no other choices left, and talked herself up for some action, then she prepared to use the Cruciatus curse on Harry, and admitted it had been her who ordered the dementors after him over the summer.

As she started the Cruciatus curse, Hermione yelled, and said they would tell her. Hermione started to cry, and Mia tried to yell through her gag. Ron, and Ginny also thrashed in their robes, and Warrington hit Gabe up the side of the head.

Then Hermione lied.

Mia stopped yelling, but then realized how suspicious it would look, so she kept making noises till Warrington looked at her threateningly again.

Hermione told Umbridge they were trying to find Dumbledore and had tried to contact him at all the public places he would be least likely to be. She told Umbridge how they had made a weapon for Dumbledore, and it was ready, and hidden, but she would only take her alone, because who would want the rest of the students to know where it was, and use it against her. Only Hermione and Harry went with Umbridge, while everyone else was set to guard Mia and the rest of the captives.

When they were gone, the Slytherins seemed to relax. Draco made a joke and pulled out a pack of exploding snap and started a game with Warrington. When he lost, Warrington played against Pansy, and Draco started pacing, looking at all the ugly cats on the walls. He complained about being hungry, then sent Crabbe to go get food for him. Warrington complained, so they also sent Goyle and Millicent to carry back enough for them all. Warrington and Pansy resumed their game while Draco walked in front of Mia, to look at the cats over her head. He was fiddling with his wand, and when a few of Pansy's cards exploded, Draco whispered something, and her ropes loosened around her shoulders. If she moved, she was sure they would come off. He turned from her and put his hands behind his back, presenting his back and wand to her and blocking Warrington and Pansy's view from her. Mia looked down at the wand, then at Gabe who made lots of eyebrow movements at her she couldn't interpret. Mia shrugged and moves her arms as little as possible to grab the wand.

Draco walked to the other end of the room and made a comment to Warrington on the game drawing his attention. Better now than never she decided, and loosened the ropes before she pulled the gage from her mouth and whispered a stunning spell directly to Warrington. He was knocked out without any warning, and Pansy stood up and ripped out her wand. Draco also made as if going for a wand, and Mia stunned Pansy.

Mia stared down at the stunned students, surprised it had been so easy. She looked at Draco who was smirking. "Nice wand word, Black," he said to her.

Mia grinned and turned to Gabe and the others. Gabe looked like he was smiling, but Ginny, Neville and especially Ron were staring at Draco with absolute and utter shock. Luna seemed quite content. "What's the incantation to remove their bindings?" Mia asked. Draco told her, and she started freeing them.

"You'll have to stun me too," Draco said. "Make it look like you ambushed us all."

"I'm not stunning you, Draco," Mia said as she pulled the gag from Gabe, who scooped up their wands from the desk where Warrington had left them.

"I'll do it," volunteered Ron, grabbing his wand back from Gabe and turning on Draco.

Mia cut him off. "No," she told Ron, waving her finger in his face like she was scolding a puppy. She turned to Draco. "Can't you just lay down and pretend to be knocked out?"

"And risk people finding out I helped you? No thanks. And if any of you tell, I swear I will hex you till you can't breathe," he said, glaring at the others.

"Why did you help us?" Ron asked accusatorially.

"I didn't help _you_ Weasley, I helped _her_ because she's family, and it would look bad on our family."

"I love you to, Draco," she said.

Draco looked disgusted at her words. "Will you just stun me already?" he sneered.

Mia sighed. "Fine, but let's call it payback for when you broke my arm. Sleep well, dearest cousin," she said before saying the jinx and Draco collapsed on the ground.

Gabe handed her wand back and started binding the Slytherins. "Your family is so weird," he told her with a smile.

"Do we know where Harry and Hermione took Umbridge?" Ginny asked Ron, who just shrugged.

"It looks like they are heading out into the Forbidden Forest," Luna said from the window. They all crowded around to look, and sure enough, they could just see Umbridge's pink cardigan disappearing into the trees.

"Let's go!" Ginny said, heading for the door.

"Wait," Gabe said, turning to Mia. "Let me fix your nose."

"Gabe, no, you haven't practiced the spell," Mia said, pushing away his wand.

"But I saw you try it enough times after Pomfrey used it on you in the hospital wing. Come on, you can barely see."

It was true, both of Mia's eyes had started to swell up, and she could barely breathe out of her nose. It had made being gagged quite interesting.

"We have to go," Ginny said from the door.

Mia whined for just an instant. Her father was on the line, this wasn't time to be squeamish. "Ok fine, do it." She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.

Gabe pronounced the spell loudly and clearly and Mia felt a snap that radiated through her brain. Her head swam and then Gabe was holding her shoulders, steadying her on her feet. Their eyes connected for a moment. "Better?" Gabe asked.

Mia nodded. "Let's go." She turned and headed for the door, stumbling a little at first, but the dizziness wore off in a moment. Ginny took off, Neville, and Luna right behind her. Gabe took an extra second to conjure water and dampen one of the cloths and handed it over. She whipped her face gently as they followed the others. Her face still hurt a bit as if bruised. Mia's vision was still a bit blurry, and the swelling in her face hadn't gone down yet, but it also hadn't gotten worse. As they ran for the forest, Gabe stayed by her side, watching her closely.

When they reached them, Hermione and Harry were arguing about how they were going to get to London without their wands, and from the middle of the forest. They were covered in blood, and Umbridge was nowhere to be found. Mia was slightly worried they'd murdered her till they explained about the centaurs. They didn't explain about the blood, so she didn't feel totally better.

Luna recommended they fly to London, and then Mia noticed the thestrails coming out of the woods to inspect them. Could they be flown? Once Harry stopped yelling about how they didn't have brooms and how Ginny, Luna, Neville, Gabe and Mia weren't going with him, Luna pointed out the Thestrals. Only half of them could see them, Harry and Neville both having the ability along with her and Luna.

Mia asked Harry what exactly he had heard at headquarters, and he said Kreacher said Sirius was gone and wouldn't be coming back. It was enough for Mia, and she helped Gabe find and mount a thestral, ignoring Harry's protest while Luna helped Ron and Ginny. According to Hagrid, apparently the thestrals were great navigators.

The flight was not enjoyable to Mia. A few times the Thestrals dived and swooped as if enjoying the journey, and maybe one or twice Mia was caught off guard and screamed. She felt so lame, but she wasn't the only one to scream. Gabe, she saw at one point flying past her, had his arms wide and eyes closed, hanging on with only his legs as his thestral seemed to dive and twist as if egged on by Gabe's whoops of joy. Mia's eyes watered from the wind as they flew, and her tear ducts ached. The swelling had barely gone down on her face, and she was sure she had double black eyes.

She had tried to get off most of the blood, but without a mirror and more water was sure there were still streaks of it over her face. The front of her robes were also covered in dry blood. Regardless of her pain and the exhaustion creeping at the edges, Mia felt wired. She was so worried about Sirius. It hadn't felt real earlier, they didn't know for sure if Harry's dream was real or not, but as they flew through the night, breaking every school rule known, she couldn't ignore what was happening. Sirius was actually trapped in the Ministry at the hands of Voldemort, and somehow they thought they could rescue him. She had so many nagging worries floating through her mind, compounded with fear and panic, and If she thought about it for a moment longer, she would lose it.

The thestrals took them to the visitor's entrance of the Ministry of Magic, a phonebooth they all somehow squished into. Someone dialed a phone number, and a woman's voice asked them to state their names and business. Harry listed all their names, and said they were there to save someone. Eight little visitors' badges clinked out of the phone change collector, and Ginny, squished down by that part of the booth passed them out. Mia read hers. " _Amelia Black, Rescue Mission."_ She attached it to the front of her robes. If they all lived through this she would keep it forever. If they didn't...

Harry seemed to know exactly where they were going. Mia had never been to the ministry before, but apparently with all his dreams over the last year, he knew the path perfectly to the department of mysteries, and to a secret room no one was supposed to know about.

They walked through a plain door into a circular room filled with many identical doors, and when they shut the door, the room spun, mixing up the doors till they had no hope of finding their path. They picked a room at random.

It was a bad pick. This room had a large tank with what turned out to be brains floating through it. They went back to the round room, and Hermione marked the door with a cross before they closed it, so they would know which one they had tried. The rooms were all weird. One had a giant amphitheater in it, and in the center was an arch with a black veil that floated in the wind. It called to some of them, till Hermione snapped them out of it. Finally, they came to a room with a dancing sparkling light, and Harry said it was right. At the end of the room was a weird bell jar with an egg that kept hatching to a bird, then turned back to an egg. There was a door nearby that Harry went straight to, and inside were rows and rows of shelves, with small glass orbs filled with grey smoke.

Harry said they were looking for row ninety-seven, so they all quickly rushed down the aisle till they got to the correct row. It was so dark, they couldn't see anything, and Mia lifted her wand high trying to light the way, looking for her dad. Harry kept going down the row when they found it, as if sure just a little further he would find Sirius, but he wasn't there.

Mia's stomach turned uncomfortably. Was he gone? Dead? Or had he never been there?

They were going to start searching when Ron saw Harry's name on one of the orbs. Hermione told him not to touch it, but Harry couldn't help himself. He lifted it off the shelf, and then a familiar voice that sent chills down Mia's spine called out.

"Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me," her uncle said.

Black shapes in hoods appeared all around them, stepping out from the darkness, and Lucius stepped out, holding out his hand palm up. "To me Potter."

"Where's Sirius?" Harry asked.

The Death Eaters around them laughed and Mia leaned back into Gabe seeking comfort. One of the laughs, it tripped a warning in her head and fear raced through her.

Harry asked where Sirius was again, and a woman's voice that Mia knew deep down mocked him.

It wasn't. She prayed it wasn't who she thought it was.

Harry seemed confused. He didn't get yet that he had been led here. Mia got it immediately at the sight of her uncle, so not surprised to see them. It was all a trap, and the Death Eaters mocked them and threatened to start using wands. Her aunt pulled off her mask and cackled some more, mocking Harry for being so stupid. Mia willed herself not to show the panic racing through her. Bellatrix stepped forward to Accio the orb, the prophecy she had called it, and Harry deflected the spell. It knocked another orb off the shelf which shattered on the ground, and out came the wispy whispering shadows of a prophecy.

Lucius snapped at Bellatrix, that they couldn't damage the prophecy Harry held, and then Mia understood why they hadn't yet really attacked. They wanted to coerce them into handing it over and avoid the chance of the orb getting smashed. Bellatrix seemed to grow bored with the negotiations and suggested they just torture the 'small one' in their group till Harry gave in. Mia stepped in front of Ginny, and her movement caught Bellatrix's eye. She looked at her interested for a moment, then grinned. "Now you wouldn't be my cousin's half-blood daughter, would you?" Mia clenched her teeth and gripped her wand tighter. "Yessssss," Bellatrix said before she cackled again. "You know I killed your mother, don't you, little girl? Maybe I shall do the same to you, prune the family tree a little, bloody your face again maybe?"

"I wish you would," Lucius drawled. "My lovely wife is way too fond of that girl, you'd be doing me a favor getting her out of the way."

Mia looked at him shocked. She knew he didn't like her, but to wish for her death? How did Draco ever have a hope growing up in that house?

The Death Eaters mocked them more, and Harry got them riled up by saying Voldemort's name. While they were distracted, he whispered something to Hermione, who then spread it to them. When Harry said go, start blasting the prophecies around them.

Harry pointed out how Voldemort was only a half-blood too, his dad being a muggle, and when Bellatrix went to hex Harry, he yelled go, and they all blasted the shelves around them. They started to go down and Gabe grabbed Mia's hand and pulled her away. They ran through the shattering glass and wisps of grey smoke rising around them. They went through a door into a space filled with tiny pinpricks of light, they felt they should avoid at all cost, then they came to another door. They separated from the others, but a Death Dater was on their trail, and Gabe blasted him with a stunning spell, causing him to bump into a small prick of light, and the man froze in midair before turning into stone, and falling to the ground.

"Here," Gabe said, opening another door and ducking inside. Mia followed him and saw there was a hazy circle in the middle of the room. She called out to Gabe to stop, but too late. He hit the mist and morphed suddenly into his wolf form and fell to all fours panting. He turned to Mia, and then shook his head. She moved towards him, but he barked at her, calling her to a stop. He excited the circle, and came back towards the door, and paused, then he shook his head again.

"What's wrong?" She asked, knowing he couldn't reply. "Why don't you turn back?"

Gabe growled lightly and shook his head again. "Are you ok? Are you hurt?" Gabe shook his head. "ok, so you aren't hurt?" He shook his head again. "Can you turn back?" He growled again softly and shook his head again.

"Ok," Mia said, trying to be calm. "The mist turns an animagus into their shape for a fun little time. Don't worry, we will figure it out later. Maybe we should go back the other way?"

Gabe wagged his tail once, and led the way back, dodging the stone death eater and points of light.

The room filled with prophecies was a mess. Shelves tipped over, and broken glass everywhere. She tried to clear the glass out of the way before Gabe walked across it, but he was limping slightly by the time they were back in the room with the bell jar. In that room they found... it was one of the death eaters, but his head was that of a baby, and he stumbled around screaming, his arms thrashing out in confusion and rage. Mia stunned him and they moved through the room filled with broken shelves of clocks that kept unbreaking, and then re breaking again. In the round room again, they picked a door at random, and came to the room with the brains and ducked inside.

"They aren't here," she told Gabe, but before they turned around Harry ran in, followed by Luna helping Ginny, and Neville carrying a lifeless Hermione. Ron looked drunk, stumbling behind.

"Lock all the doors!" Harry yelled, and Mia ran around helping when Luna screamed from the other side of the room, and flew through the air as three death eaters, led by Bellatrix blasted their way through the door she was trying to lock. Luna hit a desk and slid to the floor laying still.

Mia froze in shock, then Gabe growled and jumped at one of the death eaters biting into his wand arm. The man screamed and Mia snapped out of it, she shot a hex at her aunt who batted it away like a gnat, laughing.

"Get Potter!" she shrieked.

Mia moved to block her off and collided with Neville who shot another hex at Bellatrix.

"Neville, move, she killed my mum, I got this."

"She tortured my parents to insanity!" Neville shouted back as he blocked a hex and shot another at her.

Mia had no time to be shocked at the revelation, this whole time Neville had feared her, and they had been more alike than they knew. Instead she stayed by his side, and shot hex after hex at the woman who had ruined both their lives, as she laughed and blocked each strike. Bellatrix didn't seem like she was even trying very hard. "Oh, think you can get me back, do you? Maybe in about thirty years you'll be a match, sweethearts."

She raised her wand again, and Gabe jumped at her, fangs gleaming. His paws were inches from her face when she shot a hex at him, and he collapsed to the ground. Mia fought the urge to scream and blasted another hex towards her aunt. Then all the brains in the tank launched into the air as Harry called out "Ron, NO!"

Ron was giggling excitedly at the brains and touched one, and it started wrapping around his arms. He started screaming and Ginny staggered to his side, severing the tentacles one by one. One of the Brains went for Bellatrix, and she blasted at it. Mia took the opportunity to shoot a stunning spell at her, but then another death eater was at her side, and blocked the spell. Her uncle lowered his wand and walked towards her, an evil gleam in his eyes. "Ah, so we meet at last."

Mia took a step back and adjusted her grip on her wand. "If you kill me, your wife will never forgive you."

Lucius shrugged and smiled. "Maybe, but maybe not. It could have been an accident. Another Death Eater did it when I wasn't in the room." He grinned again, and Mia prepared to block. He raised her wand, and he cried out with venom and rage, "Avada Kedavra!"

Mia raised her wand to block, but it was too late. No one could block that curse. It would go through any shield.

But at just that moment, one of the brains flew their way, blasted by someone else in the room, and the green jet of magic collided with the brain, and it fell lifeless to the ground. Mia stared down at it with shock.

"Drat," Lucious said, and then he raised his wand again.

Across the room Harry raised the prophecy in the air and called out to the Death Eaters before running through another door, leading them out.

Lucious grinned at Mia. "To be continued." And chased after Harry.

Her path now free, Mia raced to Gabe and felt his chest. It wasn't moving. She put her hand under his nose, but her heart was beating too fast, she didn't know if he was breathing shallowly or not. She tried casting a diagnostic spell over him, she only knew the basics, but the scan lit lights over Gabe's body. The red pulsing one showed life, it was small, and wrapped with so many colors, but that meant he was alive right? She wasn't sure if it would look different for a wolf. She looked around, Ron was trying to pull tentacles off of himself, and Ginny was helping. Hermione was still in a corner lying still. Mia levitated Gabe's wolf body over to the corner where Hermione was, and performed the same spell on her.

"What does it say," Ginny asked, fear heavy in her voice.

"I- I don't really know. I think she's still alive, but I don't know how to fix her. Her or Gabe."

"Why is he a wolf?" Ginny asked.

"He walked into some mist, and now he can't change back." She wasn't sure if Ginny knew he was an animagus, they had tried so hard to keep that news quiet. Hermione had found out during fourth year when she was looking up the animagus public records, but how many students did that? "What's wrong with your leg?" Ginny had been limping, even as she helped the frantic Ron remove the tentacles.

"I don't know, but check on Luna first."

Mia nodded and crossed to the girl. She performed the same spell. "This one looks more normal, there's not all the other magic wrapped around her. I think she's just knocked out." She still didn't know how to revive her.

She had wasted so much time studying for exams that year when she could have been learning healing. She didn't need to know herbology now, she didn't have any potions to help! She was so incredibly underprepared for this. She took a deep breath to ward off the panic and levitated Luna over to Hermione and Gabe in the corner where they would be more shielded.

She started trying to help Ron with the tentacles but gave up. They were stuck tight and didn't seem to be hurting him anymore now that the brain was detached. But he was still disoriented and scared from whatever spell had struck him.

Why hadn't she spent more time learning counter-curses and healing spells? She could have helped them, got them back to fighting condition if only she knew how. Now they were trapped here with most of their party injured, and most of the Death Daters had recovered or fixed their own counter-curses.

Ginny's ankle was a quick fix. It had a very small break that Mia could heal. She knew that spell at least.

Mia looked towards the door Harry and Neville had gone through.

"Go," Ginny said. "We'll be ok."

Mia nodded and started jogging for the door. She wiped sweat from her forehead, then realized it was blood. They were all so scratched and cut from all the flying glass. She could have healed their cuts, she could do the non-magical ones, but it would have wasted time. She ran through a few open doors towards flashing lights, and came into the amphitheater room, with the arch in the center of the room. Neville was a short distance away, his legs dancing madly so he couldn't stand, and Harry was by his side, being choked by a death eater. She shot a spell at him and he crumpled. There was so much action going on in the room, the death eaters were fighting... the Order. She wanted to cry with the relief of it. Sirius, Tonks, Remus, Moody and Kingsley. They were here, they had come for them. Mia raced towards Harry and Neville as Harry turned back to help fight the man Sirius was battling. Harry stunned the man and Sirius straightened.

"Nice one Harry, now I want you to get everyone out of here." He turned and saw Mia, and relief flooded his face. "Get everyone out," he said again looking at her, when Bellatrix sent a hex towards him. He blocked it and shot back till they were locked in a duel, shooting spells faster than Mia had ever seen. Bellatrix really had been messing with her and Neville. She could have killed them at any moment. Sirius was just as good, if not better. He defended them with a ferocity that made it clear he hadn't spent the year laying about in number twelve. From their bare bone's owl correspondence over the year she knew he'd been off on missions for Dumbledore and his dueling skills were as sharp as his mind. Gone was the jokester there to have a good time and in his place stood her father, protecting his kids from the evil trying to hurt them and when it was all over Mia had no doubt he would ground them.

She saw Moody get hit by a jinx and fall to the floor just as she reached Neville. Harry turned and blasted another death eater, then ran to them, between them they helped Neville stand and tried to hurry towards the door, Neville's legs thrashing wildly. The prophecy fell out of Harry's pocket, and one of Nevill's feet kicked it, and it smashed into a wall, too far away for any of them to hear as the smoke dissipated. Mia and Harry looked at each other with grim expressions, and Neville apologized profusely.

Then Dumbledore appeared.

Mia's eyes did water that time in relief, but she quickly shook herself, reminding herself to be alert.

They turned and watched as Dumbledore quickly and completely defeated the death eaters, locking them in some sort of forcefield. All of the death eaters except for Bellatrix who was still battling Sirius. They were moving slowly towards the veiled archway in the center of the room as they shot spells back and forth, and Mia had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "No," she whispered.

Harry had seen it too. "You got him?" he asked Mia, and she nodded, supporting Neville, as Harry let go and raced back down the steps, shooting curses at Bellatrix as he went. Bellatrix pivoted, but didn't slow, now fighting both of them and laughing maniacally.

"Harry no, just get out of here," Sirius called, and then Bellatrix sent another curse at him, and he didn't dodge quick enough, and he fell back as if in slow motion towards the veil covered archway.

Mia's heart threatened to crack in two. Harry yelled in outrage, and Bellatrix laughed and started running for the room. "Catch me if you can Potter!"

Harry chased after her, a crazy gleam in his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me.


	136. The Ministry - Part Two

Mia set Neville down carefully and raced to Sirius's side as he lay on the ground a few feet from the archway. "Dad, are you ok?" He was laying still, his eyes closed. "Dad!" she yelled, shaking him slightly. His eyes snapped open and immediately filled with pain and he groaned. His leg was bloody and torn, oozing blood. It was a magical cut, she couldn't heal it without risking more damage. Why hasn't she learned more med mage magic? When they got out of this, she would spend all of her free time next year learning everything she could. She took her wand to her robes and started severing long strips of cloth from it.

"It's fine, I'm fine," he panted. "What happened to you kid? Your face is so gruesome."

Mia laughed, glad he could talk and think normally. Clearly, she hadn't done a great job cleaning the blood off her own face. "A seventh year punched me in the face. He broke my nose." Remus came to her side and inspected the leg.

"Nice one Sirius. If she had hit you dead on, well..." He didn't finish.

"Can you heal it?" Mia asked.

Remus shook his head. "You are probably better off tieing it off like you planned."

Mia nodded and proceeded to slip the cloth under Sirius's leg carefully, then wrapped it around tightly and tied it.

Sirius groaned and shuttered as if it was taking all his effort not to cry out. "Hey dad," Mia said. Sirius grunted in response. "I'm gonna need another shopping trip for new robes soon," she said as she cut another strip out of hers and turned back to slip it under his leg again. He let out a pained laugh then winced, but either way Mia was relieved.

"It will have to wait," he told her through clenched teeth. "You and Harry will both be grounded till you're thirty after this."

Mia smiled. She would be fine with being grounded if it meant he was there to do it. She had been so worried, so convinced deep down she would lose him somehow. She kept forcing back the tears. They were still in danger and she needed to focus, take control of her adrenalin and emotions.

When his leg was tied up, and no longer oozing blood, she helped him stand, his arm over her shoulders so she could support his weight on the bad leg. "You know I could just levitate you," she pointed out.

"Please Mia Bell, if you're ever going to be a proper healer you need to learn to leave your patients with at least a little dignity," he said through gritted teeth. Mia chuckled, although it was a little hysterical at this point.

Kingsley was standing guard over the Death Eaters, and Mia told him where he could find a few more. He thanked her and went to look for them. Tonks was trying to revive Moody, and Remus had left with Neville to go find the others. Mia helped Sirius climb the stairs, till they were back in the round room.

"Do we want to find the others, or the exit?" she asked.

"We need to find Harry," Sirius said, as he shut the door and the room started spinning. When it stopped, he reached for the door directly across from them. It didn't have one of Hermione's X's on it.

"How do you know that's the right one?" she asked.

"That's how it works. You just tell it where you need to go," Sirius said, opening the door to the hallway where the lift to the atrium was.

Mia shook her head in frustration at their wasted effort and took his weight again, helping him to the door.

The atrium... was a mess. The ugly fountain had been blasted apart, Bellatrix was trapped under part of a statue, and Harry was in the middle of the floor, writhing as Dumbledore stood nearby.

The fires all around the room burst into flame as ministry wizards rushed into the room, pointing their wands all around until suddenly in a wave of mist, and smoke, and flashes of light Voldemort rose out of Harry with a scream of pain and appeared in the room for all to see before he flew through the air on black smoke and grabbed Bellatrix, and disappeared.

Mia's heart pounded. That was Him. She'd seen Him.

The room was silent, then everyone started speaking at once, shock and fear echoing in every voice. Fudge stepped forward, pale and panicked as he murdered "he's back" over and over again. Dumbledore took charge of the room and told Fudge he would give him a few minutes of his time after Harry was safely back at Hogwarts. Then he made a portkey and had Harry take it, and Harry was gone. The lift behind them opened again, and Ron, Hermione, Gabe and Luna were brought out, levitated by Remus and Tonks. Moody was walking again, and had one hand on the dazed Ron, directing him. Dumbledore saw them all, standing there in a mess. "Ah, yes, I think the Hogwarts Hospital wing would be best," he said, and gestured towards one of the fires. Remus took charge and directed them all to one of the fires. Ministry workers moved out of the way in a daze, and Mia helped Sirius into the fire before shouting their direction.

Madam Pomfrey was shocked to see them,' but snapped quickly into action. Ron and Luna were healed with quick spells, and Gabe was revived, but still couldn't change back to human. Pomfrey fixed Mia's black eyes, and directed her to the potions for cleaning and healing everyone's small cuts and gashes while she stopped the bleeding in Sirius's leg, and set i on Hermione.

Dumbledore appeared later with Harry, who looked shell shocked as if he'd just heard news that would change his world, and then Dumbledore left again. Mia cleaned and healed Harry's cuts, then picked glass out of Gabe's paws. The glass was of magical origin, and Gabe's feet weren't human, so Pomfrey recommended doing it the muggle way, although she did provide a lens that gave Mia near x-ray vision, and a potion to numb Gabe's paws.

When Dumbledore returned again, he was guiding Umbridge. Mia glared at the woman, babbling and clearly terrified out of her mind. It wasn't enough. She deserved worse. She could tell they all wanted to ask how Dumbledore had gotten her back from the Centaurs, but no one did. Pomfrey asked her to give the teacher a sleeping potion so she would stop muttering and said any injuries could wait while she helped those who really needed it. Mia smiled at the venom in her voice. Months of having to treat Umbridge's victims had clearly weighed on the healer.

Hermione was the worse off. After hearing how she was hurt, Pomfrey said if the spell hadn't been half interrupted, Hermione would have died. She would need to take a lot of potions over the next few weeks. Ron had scars from the brain that Pomfrey wasn't sure would fade, and Sirius's leg would need a few more spells before he could put weight on it again.

Pomfrey said she would work on turning Gabe back to human again after she could consult a few books. The spells she and Dumbledore had tried were not successful, but Dumbledore wasn't overly worried. He said he would ask someone who worked in the department of Mysteries for advice.

When she was done removing the glass, Mia leaned against the cot Sirius lay in, and Gabe curled up next to her, his head on her leg. Everyone was safe, and Voldemort was in the open. As the sun rose through the windows her adrenalin crashed and she slipped off into sleep.

She awoke sometime later to voices talking quietly. She knew the voices, so she was comforted instead of panicked at her unknown surroundings.

"-Everyone except Bellatrix," Remus said quietly.

Sirius cursed softly. "And I suppose the rest will weasel their way out in no time," Sirius said.

"Maybe a few, Malfoy still has powerful friends, but Rookwood and Dolohov will be locked away again for good."

"Until the dementors let them out again."

"No, the dementors are gone. They've completely abandoned the prison."

Silence. She could hear Sirius breathing heavy.

Mia turned and sat up. She disentangled herself from Gabe, who had been snuggled against her, but clearly awake and listening in wolf form.

"How are you feeling," Sirius asked as she crossed to his cot.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" She yawned and sat on his bed. He put an arm around her and pulled her against his side.

"Oh, I'll be fine. The leg is healed, and Pomfrey gave me a potion to help speed up the muscle regrowth. She's bringing me another blood replenishing draft then I'm out of here."

Remus smiled down at her. "But we will see you again when you come home in only a few days."

"But things will be different now, won't they?"

Dumbledore had explained the finer points to them all that night, or morning as it had been, how their belief they needed to go to the ministry to rescue anyone had been his fault. If he had been more direct with some of them, they would have realized the order was well equipped to deal with any issues that came up. Mia had stolen a glance at Harry, and seen him frowning, as if he'd heard this all before, in the time he had been alone with Dumbledore, and now he had too many thoughts to sort through.

"Yes love, they will be different now, but we will manage."

Mia looked over at Gabe on her cot. He was laying down, his head on his paws watching her. They would manage.

Over the next few days, the Daily Prophet went rampant, trying to catch up on all the stories, telling the "uncovered truth" where before they'd been the ones burying the truth. No one knew exactly what had happened in the dregs of the Ministry, and Mia hoped the particular details stayed hidden. She tried to catch Draco a few times, but he kept dodging her, till she saw him leaving the great hall, and followed him out. "Draco, hey wait up," she called when he'd made it to the dungeon door.

"What, Black? What can you possibly want now?" he asked with a venom and rage that startled her.

"I wanted to make sure you're ok."

Draco laughed angrily. "Yeah, of course I'm ok? Why wouldn't I be? I only helped my cousin get out of trouble just so she could turn around and stab me in the back. Tell me Mia, did you even try to return the favor with my dad, or just stun him and tie him up for the Aurors."

Mia was so shocked she just stared at him for a moment.

"That's what I thought," he said before turning back to the dungeon.

"No, Draco, you have it all wrong. I didn't capture him, Dumbledore did. But if you must know, if I had had the chance, I would have knocked him out. He tried to kill me, Draco."

Draco froze and turned back to her. "You're lying."

"No, I'm not. First Bellatrix threatened to kill me like she did my mum. Your dad told her to do it, it would be doing him a favor, because his wife was so fond of me, and he found it endlessly annoying. Then he attacked us, and he used Avada Kedavra on me." She paused to let it sink in. "The only reason I'm alive is because this weird brain thing got between us, and it got hit instead of me. Draco, he knew exactly who I was, stared me down as he cursed me, then said 'drat' when it missed. He _wanted_ me dead."

Draco frowned and shook his head.

"We both know your dad won't be in Azkaban long. He will buy his way out, and then what? Do you really want to stay there this summer with him and our crazy aunt Bellatrix?"

She saw fear in his eyes for a moment, but then he shook his head again. "I won't be in any danger."

"Do you really believe that Draco? You can come home with me this summer. Seriously, Draco, you can stay with us."

His expression turned back to rage. "You aren't better than me, Black. Just because your side can live in the daylight doesn't mean it's right. My side will win in the end. You're just fighting a losing battle."

"Do you really believe your side is doing what's right Draco? Does it feel right?"

"It doesn't matter. Family doesn't turn on family."

"Oh right, so what did your dad and Bellatrix do at the ministry when they tried to kill me then?"

"You aren't really family!" he yelled at her. "You're just the half-blood spawn of a mudblood," he screamed.

It stung. But it didn't hurt any worse than any of the cuts and scrapes and bruises she'd suffered at the ministry. She knew he was only lashing out because he was scared. She wouldn't let it turn her mind against him.

He opened the door to the dungeons and walked down the steps without another word.

"The offer still stands Draco," she called before the door closed.

After Gabe was turned back to human, they spent their last few days of term laying around the far side of the lake with the wolf pack, soaking up the sun, in human form. Gabe wasn't quite ready to try transforming again, and Mia didn't blame him. He'd been stuck as a wolf for three days till Madam Pomphrey tried a spell Dumbledore suggested in combination with a few potions.

Laying in the sun by the lake with the young wolf cubs playing around her, it was hard to remember that Voldemort was now in the open, returning to power as he had been all year, but now no longer trying to hide it. She couldn't imagine how the world would change in the next year, so she wouldn't miss the small moments of happiness where she could find them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys didn't really think I would kill Sirius, did you? 😁  
> This is FAN FICTION. This is the place we come to change the world and heal our broken hearts from tragic book deaths.  
> Mind you, this doesn't mean people won't die later.....


	137. Sixth Year

When they returned from the ministry, no one knew what happened down in the depths of the ministry, but in the weeks that followed there were serious information leaks. Soon everyone knew who had been involved, Neville's Grandma gave an interview telling it like it was, and everyone suspected that Harry was "the chosen one", apparently that had been the secret of the prophecy no one had heard. Mia didn't really think anyone knew what the prophecy said, but she still wondered. Was Harry some chosen one, destined to defeat Voldemort? Sirius and Remus didn't know, but it did mean Harry got added protection from death eaters.

Fudge was sacked and replaced by Rufus Scrimgeour as the new Minister of Magic. He was a fierce wizard, the previous head of the Auror department, and Remus said he had a good head for security, but that he was likely too security conscious, for he didn't trust Dumbledore's advice on practically anything.

The Ministry passed out pamphlets on how to stay safe in these trying times, and Sirius laughed them all off as a joke, but still made Mia come up with security questions they could ask each other, just in case.

There were murders, the dark mark appeared above homes, and everyone inside would be found dead, there was a giant attack in the west, and the death eaters collapsed a muggle bridge, a well-known landmark, killing everyone trapped on it.

Two weeks into summer Dumbledore dropped Harry off in the middle of the night. They had thought he would be there the next morning, and the alarm spell work Mia from a dream. She wrapped a robe around herself and met Sirius on the landing as he went down to open the door. Meadow Lake had been prepared with every spell and precaution Dumbledore and the ministry could think of in preparation for Harry's visit. Mia had done up one of the rooms on the second floor near Remus's empty room for him. The empty floor made her sad when she climbed past it and she hoped Harry's presence would help. She was still sad Remus and Tonks had gotten their own house, she understood it, but a part of her wished they could all stay under one roof. They did visit often though.

They talked for a bit, catching Harry up on the things that couldn't be sent in a letter, then they went to bed for a few more hours. Ron and Hermione arrived by floo the next morning and woke Harry up to talk.

Mrs Weasley and Sirius had fought over who would get Harry for the summer, but with this being Sirius's first chance to host his godson, he won. Mrs Weasley would get Christmas though as a trade.

Their OWL grades arrived later that day, and Hermione, freaking out at the sight of Mia and Harry's owls floo'd back to the Burrow for Ron and her's letters. Mia cracked open her letter with anxiety. Gabe had brought up grades a few times, panicking about what he would get, but Mia hadn't worried about it. But now with the parchment in her hands it couldn't be avoided. She opened the letter and scanned down the list.

**Pass Grades**

Outstanding (O)

Exceeds Expectations (E)

Acceptable (A)

**Fail Grades**

Poor (P)

Dreadful (D)

Troll (T)

**Amelia Michelle Black has achieved:**

Ancient Runes E

Arithmancy A

Astronomy A

Charms E

Defense Against the Dark Arts E

Herbology O

History of Magic A

Potions O

Transfiguration O

Mia stared down at her paper, absolutely speechless as Ron and Harry looked over Harry's grades. "Well I always knew Divination was a lost cause," Harry joked. "How about you, Mia?"

Mia was saved responding as the fire flared again and Hermione came back, followed by Ginny thrusting Ron's letter into his hands, then Hermione ripped open her own. Mia didn't hear the others talk about their grades, it was as if she was in a fog as she stared down at that last little O. Somehow, she had gotten an O in Transfiguration? She couldn't believe it. She kept double checking that it really was her name on the letter. Herbology and Potions didn't surprise her, those were classes she excelled at. She was shocked she hadn't gotten anything below an A. She had passed everything, even bloody History of Magic.

The fire flared again, and Gabe appeared. "Oh, good you got yours too. Let's trade." Mia looked up at him, blinking in her shock, and he took the paper from her and handed his over. She snapped out of her shock a little and read down his paper:

**Gabriel Artemis Adewumi has achieved:**

Ancient Runes E

Arithmancy E

Astronomy O

Charms O

Defense Against the Dark Arts O

Herbology O

History of Magic O

Potions E

Transfiguration O

"Heeey! You did amazing Mia! Look at that O in transfiguration! I feel like I deserve that O for all my tutoring," he said with a grin.

Mia looked up at him with confusion. "Your middle name is Artemis?" she asked.

"Give that back!" Gabe said grabbing for the parchment, but Mia for once was too quick.

"Your initials are GAA!" she said, with a gleeful smile.

"You better be nice to me or I won't tutor you anymore, Streak," he called, dropping Mia's paper and diving for her. She threw his paper in the air and darted away laughing but he caught her, and they fell onto the couch in a mess of arms and legs.

"Do you two need to get a room?" Ginny asked with a grin as she picked up their grades and looked them over. Ron and Harry exchanged scandalized looks.

"Hey, this is my house!" Mia said.

"And her room is for sleeping only! By herself!" Sirius said coming into the living room and glaring at Mia and Gabe.

"Hey! You have to be nice to me today, I passed all my OWL's," she told him smugly.

"What? All of them?" Hermione handed Sirius Mia's paper and he read it over with suspicion. "You didn't magic these did you?" he asked.

"Dad!" she exclaimed, but Sirius broke out in a grin.

"Only teasing. Of course you passed. You're just as brilliant as your mum." He crossed to the room and held out a hand. Mia took it and he pulled her from the couch and Gabe's clutches and hugged her. "I'm so proud of you Mia," he said seriously, before releasing her and turning to the others. "Well, what about the rest of you? Any Trolls in the room?"

None of them had gotten any Ts. Gabe had gotten everything he needed to go on to being an Auror, but Harry had not, only getting an E in Potions. She could tell it made him sad, but he seemed to shake it off quick enough. It was over. There was no changing it now. Hermione had the best grades of them all, and Gabe made a comment about quidditch practice getting in the way. Mia punched him in the arm, and he congratulated Hermione along with everyone else.

They had a big dinner to celebrate, over at the Weasley's. Apparently, Ron's older brother and Fleur were engaged, and she was driving everyone mad. Mia got it, she was trying to make everyone like her, which for her meant she was using bits of her Veela power, maybe without even noticing it. And while she was trying to make people like her, she kept forgetting and then saying really insulting or critical things, like she didn't get other people tried to default to niceness instead of cattiness.

Ron, Ginny and Hermione spent most of their time at Meadow Lake with Mia and Gabe the next few weeks. It was so weird to have them there with her, in her space, and being a part of her life, but it also felt so wonderful.

Eventually their Hogwarts letters came, and Harry and Gabe compared Quidditch Captain badges, and they all took a big trip to Diagon Alley, with lots of security including Hagrid and some ministry cars. Many shops were closed, Olivanders, and Mia's favorite discount bookstore. The entire road was mournful and dark, and people shuffled from building to building with their heads down. This was true of everywhere except Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Mia was so excited to finally see Fred and George's joke shop. They were so incredibly successful, people flocking to the brightly lit shop amid the bleak Diagon Alley. She had been following their progress in the paper, apparently the Ministry had even been ordering from their new defense line because the products were so high quality.

Sirius loved the joke shop. He got really distracted looking over all of their sick sweets that it was a while before everyone realized Ron Harry and Hermione were gone. Mia sighed and helped with searching the crowded shop, although she knew they would appear eventually. They did, insisting they had been in a back room, and the matter was dismissed, although Mia could tell by the look on Sirius's face that he would have a talk with Harry later.

Harry was better company than he had been the previous year. Apparently having Voldemort mucking about in his head had really put a damper on his mood.

Mia found a compartment on the Hogwarts express with Harry, Neville and Luna. She messaged the number to Gabe, who appeared only a short time after they left the station. "Did you skip prefect duties?" she asked as he tossed her his badge and slipped into the seat next to her.

"Yeah I'm over it. People keep staring at me, asking me about the ministry, and what really happened."

Mia laughed and Gabe looked offended. "All these years of people staring at me, and when they are finally looking at you too you can't take it." She shook her head in mock disgust.

"People keep looking at me funny too!" Neville said. "It's crazy." He looked to Luna who was absorbed in a magazine.

"You guys were there too, and now everyone knows it. And now everyone knows Dumbledore was telling the truth. Things are bound to be different."

Ron and Hermione appeared a few hours later after their prefect duty and scolded Draco for not doing his. Mia looked at Gabe and grinned. A short time later a second year came in all nervous and handed out small invitations to Harry, Neville, Mia and Gabe. It was some invitation to a luncheon in a compartment with Professor Slughorn, the professor Harry had said he helped Dumbledore recruit. Mia felt bad leaving the others, but then later she felt worse for having to sit through the lunch. Slughorn was clearly only interested in their family accomplishments, as though he was looking for the students with the best connections. Apparently coming from The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, and having her father wrongly accused of being a death eater was enough to get Mia an invite, which made Mia doubt Slughorn's judgment. Gabe had been invited because of his father's family reputation and being a diplomat.

The food was good, but that was about all Mia could say for it. She, Gabe and Neville went back to their compartment while Harry made up an excuse and disappeared. He was late to the welcome feast to, and appeared still in his muggle clothes, and covered in blood. He wouldn't talk about it, but Mia suspected that was because everyone on their end of the table was looking at him. She was sure Hermione would tell her what happened later.

The next morning, they got their class schedules, which took a long time to sort through for the fifth years. Harry and Ron were both allowed to take potions, as Slughorn was their new teacher, Snape becoming the new DADA teacher, and Mia and Gabe had the same schedule, taking only Charms, DADA, Potions, Transfiguration and Herbology.

They both had first period free, which they spent wandering around the upper floors, enjoying each other's company, and some alone time for the first time since summer started.

Their next class was DADA, and it was clear Snape took the subject very seriously. Then they had another free period where Gabe went to work on their DADA homework, practicing non-verbal spells, and Mia went to the Hospital wing to see if Madam Pomfrey had any tasks for her. She corresponded with McGonagall and then Madam Pomfrey over the summer, to see if she could help more officially in the Hospital wing. She didn't just want to make pepperup potions when she was bored, she wanted to learn real diagnostic work and how to help students who came in with random hexes or potions side effects they were too nervous to tell the rout of. McGonagall agreed, only on the condition that Mia not let her grades drop, and Madam Pomfrey agreed happily, enjoying Mia's help and presence over the years.

A young student came in with a very strange rash that kept moving around whenever Pomfrey tried to examine it, and the girl said she didn't know what the cause was. It was an obvious lie, but this is what Mia was wanting. When a Death Eater cursed them, they wouldn't know what the jinx was, she needed to know how to treat the unknown. Pomfrey explained everything she did and saw and the conclusions it brought her to, explaining to Mia that for now watching her work would help it make more sense when she read about it later. She had recommended a few books that Mia had bought before term but hadn't had time to read yet. She sent Mia to fetch potions, and explained her spells, speaking them allowed even when she advised non-verbal was usually best in all cases except for teaching. When the little Ravenclaw was finally clear of spots, Madam Pomfrey told Mia how she thought the girl had likely contracted them, and her reasoning for the guess.

Eventually she turned from Mia to clean up and glanced at the clock. "Merlin, didn't you have Potions next period?"

Mia looked at the clock and panicked. The class was likely half over, and all the way in the potions room. She ran to the side closet taking off her apron as she went and darted for the door. "Wait! Take a note dear," Pomfrey called to her, as she finished scribbling and then threw the parchment to Mia. It soared across the room and landed in Mia's outstretched hand as she called her thanks and disappeared out the door. Mia ran as fast as she could, taking each shortcut she knew of. She was late to Potions, and today was their first class with Slughorn! She haden't particularly liked the teacher, but when she realized he would be teaching her favorite subject, she'd wanted to make a better first impression than being extremely late for class.

He frowned at her when she barged in, breathing heavy and apologised, handing over her note. Gabe grinned at her as she joined his table, Slughorn making tutting noises behind her as he unfolded the note. "Oh dear, oh dear, Miss Black, and I had such high hopes for you. Well, take out your cauldron and see how far you can get into the Draught of Living Death before class time is over." He paused and read the note as Mia started getting out her book and equipment. "Oh, ho, hooo," he said as he finished reading the note. "Stuck in the hospital wing helping Pomfrey diagnose a rare curse? Well, maybe I wasn't wrong after all. See how far you get now, the winner gets a wonderful prize!"

He gestured to a little potion in the front of the class that bubbled like molten gold and kept jumping up in large drops like little golden fish. Mia stared at the potion, her own cauldron sitting empty over the flame. "Felix Felicis," she whispered. It was supposed to be crazy hard to make, and took over six months. When she'd read about it, it had sounded like a challenge she wanted to take on but hadn't had the time.

Slughorn chuckled at her knowledge and told her to get started. Mia started piling in ingredients.

"What a day to be late, Streak," Gabe told her. "If you'd been on time, we would win the potion for sure."

Mia looked down at Gabe's potion which was steaming a weird grey green color that didn't look right. "What makes you think I would share with you," she asked as she crushed her Sopophorous bean and added in the juice. Her potion turned the right color, and she smiled.

"How did you do that?" Gabe asked. Mia just smiled and told him to turn down his flame. Having potions this year, with no Snape, would be fun. She tried to catch Draco's eye a few times in class, but he was ignoring her obviously.

Harry won the competition. Mia laughed at Hermione's disgust and outrage. Apparently, he had an old potions book someone had made good notes in. She may have been upset if she had ever had a chance to win, not being so late. But if anyone deserved a potion to make them lucky, it was Harry.

Classes were harder than the year before. Every teacher was now requiring nonverbal spells, and it took a long time for Mia to get the hang of it. When it finally clicked in her head, she started using them for everything, grabbing parchment or books from across the table, pouring her pumpkin juice. It felt cool to do magic silently, and she really needed the practice.

Harry started up private lessons with Dumbledore. He didn't confide in Mia what he was taught, but she was happy Dumbledore was finally including him. Harry needed to be treated as more than just the average sixth year if he was going to keep going up against Voldemort, chosen one or not.

Draco didn't play in the first quidditch game. The rumor was he was sick, but Mia checked the hospital wing, and he hadn't been there.

It took her a few weeks to finally corner him, but the sad almost mournful expression on his face when he told her to leave him alone made her stop. She'd expected more anger, and rage, his dad was still in Azkaban, but this utter hopelessness? What had happened that summer?

Harry spent two days trying to convince Mia Draco was a death eater until she finally snapped at him to give it a rest. "You don't get it Harry. I don't care if he is or isn't. It won't change the way I'm trying to help him. You forget, not all death eaters are hopelessly evil. Look at Snape."

"That's not really a great argument Mia."

"Oh, leave it alone Harry." He didn't. But Mia didn't humor him any more than Ron or Hermione did.

Hermione came to her half way through term, totally outraged over Harry and his secret book, written by the "Half-blood Prince." Hermione tried to get Mia on her side. "He's cheating!"

But Mia just shrugged as she studied a book on determining hex route of origin and its correlation to healing. "If at the end of the year he still does well, who can fault him if he actually learns what he's reading?" Mia reasoned. "And if he doesn't really learn, isn't that on him then when exams come?"

"But doesn't it make you angry?"

"No." Mia laughed. She had spent a lot of time angry about a lot of things over the years. Her anger had always been so quick to flair, but it was so exhausting. She wanted to let things roll off her more. "I'm still better than him. And so are you. Slughorn's the only one who doesn't know it, and honestly I don't really care about his attention."

Hermione just sighed, but Mia thought maybe her words had sunk in. Hermione was still completely against Harry's new old book, but she didn't seem as hurt by Harry's success.

Slughorn on the other hand, really loved Harry, and talked about him constantly. Harry scheduled quidditch practices every time Slughorn threw one of his "Slugclub" meetings, and Gabe was irritated because it meant he couldn't do the same. Mia kept reminding him that he couldn't schedule practices those nights anyways, because Mia had no excuse not to go, and he wasn't abandoning her.

A few of the meetings were actually kind of cool. The food was always really good, and sometimes he had really cool guests come like a famous Potioneer. Gabe had really liked meeting Gwenog Jones, a famous quidditch captain, and kept polishing his quidditch badge with his sleeve whenever she would look away until Mia elbowed him in the side and called him a prat. He had relaxed and pinned the badge onto her chest after that, and she just rolled her eyes and gave him back his prefect badge in trade. Both Prefects and quidditch captains shared the same status, and got to use the Prefects bathroom, which was wonderfully void of Lavender, with plenty of counter space. While having one of his badges didn't really give her the same privileges, she pretended like it did and used the bathroom regularly. Even some of the teachers played along. Both Flitwick and McGonagall had asked Mia to run errands only a Prefect would do, as if forgetting Gabe's Ravenclaw badge on her chest wasn't hers.

Christmas was a wonderful break from classes. Harry spent much of it at the Weasley's, but they all had Christmas dinner together. Apparently after Mia and Sirius had left, Percy, Ron's estranged older brother, and the Minister of Magic arrived just to "drop in" which became an excuse for Scrimgeour to corner Harry in the garden and ask for his vote of confidence in the Ministry, which he refused.

After Christmas came apparition lessons. Mia was determined to learn how to apparate, but she didn't particularly like it, nor was she very good at first. Gabe was one of the first to successfully apparate without splinching himself. Mia was surprised, and told him so, being that he was so tall, she thought he would have a harder time. He retorted that if height was an issue, she should have managed by then.

Occlumency was brought up at one of the Slugclub meetings, and someone mentioned Slughorn was a very accomplished in occlumency. Gabe got really excited and begged the professor to teach him, telling him about his progress so far. Slughorn seemed impressed at his stories of Mia dosing him with Veritaserum, as well as Mia's ability to brew it, and reluctantly agreed to coach Gabe a few times on the process.

Mia loved learning about brewing antidotes second term. It was a puzzle her brain loved solving, and she was good at it. She also progressed greatly in her time with Pomfrey. She now knew most of the basic counter jinxes and could diagnose the most frequent student blunders, and was learning to heal magical wounds, which each needed very different steps and spells.

Thanks to Harry after the Gryffindor/Hufflepuff match, Mia got to learn how to fix a concussion. Part of his scull had actually been caved in a bit, and the spell to fix it was very interesting. When Katie Bell had been cursed during first term, Mia had learned how to tell something was beyond her skill, and when Ron had been poisoned, she learned that antidotes didn't always fix things right away, and how to repair lingering damage.

She also learned from these two events that Harry was convinced Draco was behind every bad thing that happened at Hogwarts. There was something wrong with Draco. He was very secretive, and working on something private, apparently, as Harry discovered, using the Room of Requirement to accomplish his tasks.

Sixth year was hard, but it was so much better in every way than Fifth year had been. The only dark part of the year was Draco. Something was wrong and he wouldn't tell her what. He was troubled, he had something weighing on him and try as she might he wouldn't let her help him. She tried so hard to convince him she only wanted to help and wouldn't judge him.

Whatever he needed she'd be there for him. He had so much more worth then his father or his father's people would ever give him, and she just wanted him to see it for himself. He wouldn't let her help, he wouldn't tell her what was wrong, but Mia hoped that he listened all the same and heard her when she said she would be there if he ever decided he needed it.

"You haven't cemented your fate yet Draco, you still have time to change," she told him, but he shook his head.

"You don't just hand in your resignation to the Dark Lord," he said with a sad grimace. "It's a lifetime of service or death." He walked away before she could say anything else.

At the end of term when things went down.

When the Sixth year's apparition test approached, Gabe was ready, but nervous. He gave Mia both his badges "just in case I don't come back." Mia shook her head, laughed at his morbid expression, and kissed him good luck as he left with Hermione and Ron. Mia went off to potions with Harry, which was practically empty. It was only them, Draco and one other student in class. Since they were so short on classmates, Slughorn told them to brew something amusing. Draco was annoyed and flipped through his book gloomily. She wanted to move to the table with him and try to bug him into talking, but it would be weird with so few students, and anything she said would be overheard. Mia sighed and made her tea additive from memory. It wasn't incredibly advanced like Harry's Euphoria potion, but Slughorn clapped and gave her points for originality when she added it to his tea and the dregs burst to the surface as pretty flowers.

Gabe passed his apparition test, as did Hermione. Ron splinched half an eyebrow, and they failed him. It was tragic, but not altogether surprising. Ron always lacked confidence in himself.

The last quidditch game of the year was very high tension all across the school. It had something to do with Gryffindor needing to win by three hundred points to beat Ravenclaw, or Ravenclaw winning if Gryffindor lost by less than one hundred but more than two hundred points or something, but Mia wasn't sure. Gabe had explained it at least twenty times but she mostly ignored him. He and Harry had started acting very civil and very professional around each other and didn't really speak about anything. The rest of the school either hexed the players or congratulated them when they saw them. Mia's shield charms were better than ever, and she blocked with ease the few hexes that came her way after a lousy aim at Gabe.

Mia learned so much from Madam Pomfrey that year. She could fix most of the common mishaps that came about from student life.

She was in the hospital wing when Snape brought Draco in, covered in blood. He had large gashes all over his body, the skin just barely closed, but based on the cuts in his robes, he should have died. Snape prescribed dittany, and Mia fetched it as Pomfrey looked him over. He was in bad shape, his eyes puffy and red, his hair matted with blood. Mia gave him privacy while Pomfrey cleaned him up, and then Mia returned and sat on the edge of his cot. He was turned away from her, pretending to sleep, but Mia wasn't fooled.

"What happened?" He didn't reply. "Was it part of... whatever you've been doing? In the room of requirement?"

He flinched, and as it was obvious she knew he was awake, so he rolled over so she could see him. his eyes were bloodshot, and he had massive bags, like he hadn't been sleeping for ages. It had been so long since she'd gotten close enough to really see him, and it was clear this year of whatever stress he was holding had weighed on him.

"What are you on about now?" he asked, and Mia wondered if maybe he didn't know the name.

"The room of requirement. It's the room we met in last year to practice DADA, and the room you've been running off to all year."

He looked afraid for a moment, then his annoyed scowl was back. "Forget about it. Whatever you think is probably wrong, and it's all pointless anyways. I can't do it." He said this last bit to himself, and this time there was clear fear.

"Draco, if what your doing is this dangerous-"

He cut her off. "What I'm doing? It didn't cause _this_. What I'm doing is only dangerous if I fail. Potter did this to me. Oh yes, don't look so shocked. He tried to kill me."

"What?" Mia couldn't believe it. Well, she could. Harry had been really set on believing Draco was a death eater, and maybe he was, but still. Harry had almost killed Draco, because of what she learned was Snape's quick appearance and action, Draco had lived, but with how much blood he'd lost, if Snape had been another thirty seconds slower, Draco would have bled out and died.

"Yeah, that's right, Perfect Potter. What? Didn't think he was capable of such dark magic?" Draco asked, his sneer back in full force.

"No Draco, I know anyone is capable of it. We all have the potential for evil inside of us, and the potential for good."

"Oh, give it a rest already. I was going to use Cruciatus on him. Don't kid yourself, I I'm not innocent in all of this." He rolled over. "Go away and try to convert some other Slytherin for a change."

Mia sighed and stood up from the bed. "Sleep well Draco."

Mia saw Hermione first, Harry was already in his dorm room, so she had no one to vent her anger on.

Harry got detention for every Saturday for the rest of the year, that included the Ravenclaw/Gryffindor quidditch game. Mia was glad. It wasn't a good enough punishment. She couldn't believe what he did. He would have died had Snape not been there. He should have been expelled. She sighed and let out the anger in a long breath. If Harry was expelled, he would be an easy target for Voldemort. It was probably the only reason he wasn't expelled. Bloody chosen one.

When Mia did see him, he didn't cower from her rage, but he did try to justify it, how he didn't know what the spell would do, how he didn't want to kill Draco, how Draco was going to use an unforgivable on him, so it made it even in the end. And he seemed shocked when Mia said she knew about the Cruciatus curse, because Draco told her.

When Mia stopped yelling, Harry told her a little more, in a soft voice, where even Ron and Hermione couldn't hear.

"He was crying. In the bathroom, talking to Moaning Myrtle about how he couldn't do it, and how he'd be killed. His eyes were red like he'd been at it for a while." He looked at her, with something like pity, or remorse, and Mia started to think maybe he was sorry, but then she thought about it for just a moment.

"So you hexed him?" she asked in disgust. He came across Draco crying in a bathroom and started hexing him?

"No!" he said, trying to head off her yelling at him more. "No, it wasn't like that. I saw him, and then he saw me, and he just started hexing me." He looked baffled like it had made no sense.

Mia sighed, and deflated a little. "Of course," she said softly. "You saw him in a weak and vulnerable place, so he started hexing you to prove he wasn't."

Harry's face screwed up in confusion as he thought about it, and Mia left him there. She was still mad, and she would be for a while.

Gryffindor won the quidditch cup, and Mia didn't feel like celebrating. Neither did Gabe who felt like a total failure, losing his first year as Captain. Mia tried to console him, no one in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff had won the cup in over a decade, but it didn't make him feel better. This was gonna be his year, he'd said. Instead she and Gabe walked the ground, ignoring the world and enjoying each other's company.

Exams were coming, and Mia and Gabe were back to cramming at every possible moment. Mia was in the library with Gabe studying when he got a weird expression and started digging in his jeans. He pulled out a galleon and looked down at it with shock.

"What is it? Planning on bribing a teacher for a better grade?"

"It's our DA galleon," he said, looking at her with wide eyes.

"You still carry yours?"

"Of course."

It made Mia smile. He still wore his SPEW badge sometimes, even though he never attended meetings, and Hermione had turned over the majority of responsibilities to a passionate Fourth year. Loyalty wasn't a particular trait recognized in Ravenclaw, but Gabe was full of it. "Well what does it say?"

"Meet now, 5th floor corridor."

They looked at each other, and packed up their bags.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are officially over 5k hits!! woo hoo! You did it guys!


	138. The Tower

Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna gathered. Hermione told them what happened, Harry was going on a mission with Dumbledore, and was convinced something bad would happen that night. Mia wanted to scoff. Something was gonna happen that Dumbledore wasn't prepared for? Harry probably thought Draco was behind it or Snape, Harry's two favorite scape goats. She was still mad about Harry almost killing Draco. It wasn't the sort of thing you just got over, although Harry seemed to have.

Hermione explained about the marauders map to those who didn't know what it was, then they all stood around examining it. Draco wasn't on it, so he was likely in the room of requirement. Hermione passed around the little vial of liquid luck and they all took a small sip till it was gone.

Draco missing was all the proof Ron needed, and he started rolling up the map.

"Neville and I will wait outside the room of requirement. Hermione, Ginny, Luna, you go stand guard outside Snape's office, he's there now, make sure he doesn't leave. Mia, Gabe-"

"We're gonna go wake up McGonagall," Mia said, cutting him off.

"Rrrright. You go wake up McGonagall," he agreed. It didn't seem like the best way to avoid detention under normal circumstances, but the potion Mia had taken made her feel good, and this felt like the right idea.

They were a landing below McGonagall's office when they were stopped.

"Oi! What do you lot think you're up to?"

Normally, while sneaking around in the middle of the night with her boyfriend, that was the last voice she would have wanted to hear, but this time it felt right, so she turned around and smiled.

"Hey dad! We're going to wake up McGonagall."

"Why? What happened?" Sirius asked, coming closer with worry on his face.

"Nothing yet, we don't think. But soon I think," Gabe said brightly.

"Yes, soon," Mia agreed. "Something bad is going to happen soon." Mia turned and ran up the rest of the stairs to pound on McGonagall's door. She opened it, fully dressed in her green robed. Mia wasn't surprised to see her awake.

"Hey Professor, something bad is going to happen, so we came to get you."

McGonagall looked at Mia, who smiled, then at Gabe, who smiled, and then at Sirius who shrugged. "Don't look at me, I was patrolling and came across them."

McGonagall looked back at Mia. "Explain yourselves immediately," McGonagall ordered.

"Harry left with Dumbledore on some secret thing," Mia started.

"And Harry was sure that something bad would happen tonight," Gabe continued.

"So, he set us to guard duty so we could put a stop to whatever it is," Mia finished.

"And what made you think the castle needed your protection?" McGonagall asked, outrage brimming in her eyes.

Mia got it. With Sirius here, it probably meant there were several Order members on guard, so the adults didn't think anything else was needed.

Mia and Gabe shrugged, and spoke at the same time. "The arrogance of youth."

"Ok, tell me what you did. Why are you two acting so funny," Sirius asked, his wand in his hand as if ready for a jinx.

"My favorite jam is raspberry, and I spent six months calling you Um because I was too scared to say Dad. We aren't under the Imperius Curse, Harry gave us the last of his Felix Felicis potion so we would have luck tonight. And instead of telling us how to avoid detection and go to bed, it told me to come get McGonagall because things are about to start."

Sirius narrowed his eyes at her. "Who else is out on guard duty?"

"Lots of us. You can't stop us all, so you might as well join us," Gabe said to Sirius. Then he turned to McGonagall. "We aren't being disrespectful, professor. We took a potion that is magically guiding us down the best path of success in our lives. Even if you think we're wrong, wouldn't it be best to at least keep us around and see if we get any sudden bright ideas?"

McGonagall sighed and her stern expression melted into acceptance, with maybe just a hint of fear. "Oh, all right. But come morning if nothing happens, you both will have a month of detentions."

"And groundings over the summer," Sirius added.

Mia smiled but said nothing. They needed to wait now.

"So, what do you suggest, oh guided one?" McGonagall asked in the most sarcastic tone Mia had ever heard, which was saying something for McGonagall.

"Now we wait," Gabe said, and closed his mouth, with his hands behind his back.

"For what?" Sirius said, impatiently.

They didn't respond, just smiled and looked around. Things would get bad, part of her knew, but a few moments of peace now would do them all better later. Her eyes met Gabe's, and he smiled at her. There was so much love in his eyes, she always felt safe when she looked into them.

"I love you," she told him.

It was right to say it now.

McGonagall sighed, and Sirius groaned, but Gabe smiled, and his smile lit up his whole face and lit up Mia's whole heart.

"I know," Gabe said, with a grin. He had told her he loved her before, and she didn't doubt it for a second.

There was a loud boom far away, and dust fell from the ceiling as if the castle had shook just slightly.

"And now we should go to the Astronomy tower!" Gabe said. Mia agreed. That felt like the right decision.

"But the noise came from the other direction," Sirius said as he tried to stop them.

Mia dodged him easily and started down the staircase, Gabe at her side. "Astronomy tower!" she called back to her dad.

A Ghost passed them on the stairs, flying up out of the steps towards Professor McGonagall.

"Professor!" it called. "Professor! The castle has been invaded by Death Eaters!"

She heard McGonagall gasp, and heard the pounding of Sirius's feet as he caught up to them. McGonagall's patronus streaked past them a moment later, on the way to deliver a message, and then Sirius sent his own patronus out.

There was fear, Mia felt it, and adrenaline. But the potion told her those were tools to keep her sharp, and it helped her stay above it.

They encountered the death eaters in the corridor leading to the astronomy tower. They were badly outnumbered at first. Mia didn't recognize most of the death eaters, but Sirius did, and they knew Sirius. Taunting him as he deflected hexes. One of them leaned out a window and shot a spell into the night. The familiar glowing green of the dark mark rose high in the sky, casting green light through all the windows.

"That should speed things up a bit," the Death Eater who cast the spell yelled.

Mia was sharper with the liquid luck, faster, as she blocked spells she didn't quite know were coming but felt. More bodies joined them, Remus, Tonks, Ron, Neville, and Bill. Bellatrix appeared from the other end of the corridor, and she was dragging Draco with her, shooting hexes and curses. She shoved Draco onto the staircase, and then set a spell blocking anyone else from chasing after, then she turned and faced off with Sirius.

One of the death eaters, he was a ghastly man, his face grizzled and deranged. His robes were tight across his chest and massive arms, and he fought with his claws as much as his wand. He faced off with Bill, and when he knocked out Bill, he bent over him on all fours and started biting into his arm, slashing at his face and chest. It was too horrific, Mia froze for a moment, then shot a stunning spell at the man, it landed, but didn't seem to faze him. McGonagall was at her side a moment later and started hexing the man until he broke off and started fighting back. Mia darted between duelers and slid to the floor at Bill's side. She started casting spell after spell onto his wounds, but they didn't work. She used the ones to heal normal wounds, then started going through ones to heal magical wounds, none of them worked. She cast spell after spell and watched the bloody flesh press itself together, then fall back open, more blood gushing out. She had worked so hard so she could do this when it really mattered, and now her magic wasn't working. She didn't understand, was she broken?

Then she remembered something she'd read once. There was no charm for healing werewolf bites. She started to panic just a little as Bill's eyes fluttered close, and he breathed out as if it was his last breath. Then Mia performed the diagnostic spell. He was just unconscious and breathing lightly. Not dead. She started ripping up her cloak and tying up the worst of the gashes to stop the flow of blood. She needed to learn to conjure bandages next.

Snape appeared up the corridor. He strode through the chaos and deflected spells left and right, even blocking ones that were aimed towards other members of the Order. Then he turned and darted up the stairs, straight through the barrier like it wasn't there. Neville ran after him, as if convinced Harry was right, and Snape was on the wrong side, but he bounced off the barrier and fell to the ground.

A very large Death Eater started shooting hexes in all directions, not caring who he hit, and knocked out a death eater. Mia pulled Neville closer to Bill, and stood in front of them, deflecting every hex she could. Most of the death eaters took the moment to run up the stairs, but the big man was still firing off spells, and nearly everyone was crouched behind shield spells. Flitwick tried to take the man out but got hit with a spell and fell to the ground.

The roof caved in, and chaos resumed, the death eaters came flooding out of the tower, Bellatrix cackling and laughing. The order and DA moved with them down the corridor, but when Mia saw Draco, she grabbed his arm and pulled him as hard as she could and caught him off balance. She tugged him into a corner. He got his wand up, eyes full or horror and fear, and then he recognized her. Harry raced down the tower next, and past them, not seeing them in his focus on the other death eaters.

"Let me go, Mia. Please."

"No," she said, and pushed him harder against the wall. Draco's eyes were red and so full of fear. She saw something break in him, and tears started to well in the corners of his eyes, then he was sliding to the ground, and curled into a ball, crying. "It's my fault, it's all my fault. I did this. I did this."

"Draco talk to me. What happened?"

"Dumbledore's dead," he sobbed. Mia must have miss heard him. It wasn't possible. "It's my fault, I did this!"

"Draco." Mia put her hand on his knee. Everything felt like it was crashing inside of her. It couldn't be true. It wasn't possible.

They had no time. She could hear battling further down the hall, but it was only a matter of time till they came back up this way for the injured.

"Did you kill him?" The words barely came out. She didn't want to know. She didn't think she could ever look at Draco the same way if she knew.

"I was ordered to. I should have. It was my job, but I couldn't. I'm a coward, such a coward. I've always been a coward. Couldn't stand up against anybody, not my father, not _Him._ " Draco started shaking, spit came out of his mouth and snot ran down his face as he sobbed. "But I couldn't even do it. You need to get out of here, Mia." He looked up at her as if just seeing her and gripped her arms tight. "If they find you, they'll kill you." His face broke again, into hopelessness. "Mia you have to go, and I have to go with them there's nothing else left for me. I finally cemented my fate, as you say."

A choking sobbing laugh came out. Draco pushed her off and stood. He rubbed his robes against his face, determined now. "Get out of here, I'm serious. I don't want anything happening to you too."

"Would you if you could?" Mia asked.

"What I what Black?" His tone had the bitter edge to it she knew so well. Somehow it was comforting.

"Would you undo this if you could?" she asked, the last of the potion felt like it was wearing off, but this last part was so important, it called up from inside of her.

"It's too late now Mia, I'm one of them. There's no going back."

"Yes, there is Draco." If he really meant it there was a way.

"What do you mean?" Another sobbing laugh and he wiped away another tear. "I can't go back from this Mia." He pulled up his sleeve and revealed the dark mark, dark against his pale arm.

She suspected Harry had been right about that for a while, but she didn't want to believe it. Even looking at it somehow, she didn't believe it. The mark was red and inflamed in places as though he'd been scratching it through his sleeve.

She tore her eyes away from it and looked Draco in his eyes, no pity or fear showing in her face. "Come over to our side. Help us. You know information of value, so trade it for your life."

"I killed-" he started to yell and then it turned again into a sob. "I killed Dumbledore."

"No, you didn't Draco. You didn't kill him because there's still good inside of you. It wasn't cowardice that stopped you, it was your heart. It was bravery. Bravery to stand up against orders and murder and what's wrong. Do you get that? Bravery isn't the absence of fear, it's doing what's right in the face of it. What happens if you go back there and tell them you didn't kill Dumbledore? What will he do to you? Even knowing what would happen, you still didn't do it. Knowing your life was on the line, you still didn't kill him and trade his life for yours. That matters, Draco. Now tell me," Mia touched the tattoo on his arm and Draco pulled away as if pained. "Is this what you want? Is this who you want to be?

"No." It was soft, but it was still there.

"Say it again Draco, who do you want to be?"

"Not this. I don't want to be one of them." Determination again flashed in his eyes.

"So, what are you willing to do about it?"

"But my mother, what about my mother? I can't just leave her." Mia frowned. No, they couldn't.

"She's safe there? Will anyone hurt her?"

Draco thought about it as if conflicted. "No. No, not with my aunt there. She'll protect her."

A chill ran down Mia's spine at the thought of Draco's aunt, her aunt Bellatrix, the woman who had killed her mom. She didn't say anything, and she tried her hardest to make sure her fear and hatred didn't show on her face.

"Then she's safest there for now, and we can work on getting her a way out later. You on the other hand, can I trust you Draco, truly trust you?"

"I don't know."

"Decide. Now. Who do you want to be Draco?"

"I... I want to be someone you can trust."

"Then promise me Draco. Promise me if I trust you, you won't break that trust, you won't go back to them. You won't tell them anything that can hurt me or those I love." Draco looked down as though unsure. "You're on that list Draco." He looked up at her. "The list of people I love. Promise me you won't do anything that will hurt them or you."

His blue eyes, so bright and red rimmed from crying held hers, and she saw something in them. Fear, pain, anxiety, but something else too, something that looked an awful lot like hope. "I promise." He reached out and took her hand. "I promise Mia." He sighed. "But we'll need a third for an unbreakable vow."

"I'm not going to make an unbreakable vow with you Draco. Your promise is enough for me, because I believe you are a man who will keep his promise." She held his eyes, they again held fear and doubt, but the hope was stronger now. "Now come on."

They had to step over rubble, and a few bodies on their way out. Neville was on the ground groaning, but unconscious, holding his stomach. She should help him, but she needed to help Draco first. People in the castle were waking up now, and she and Draco rushed past a few Hufflepuff's in their pajamas, looking for information, as they ran past and out the castle.

They made their way outside, very carefully and Mia looked around. She could see hexes and curses flying across the grounds but the direction she wanted to go was clear. She pulled Draco after her and he didn't resist. When they entered Hogsmeade she heard someone behind, chasing after them, and they ran faster. She was going to take them to the Three Broomsticks, but Draco told her one of the bar ladies was under the Imperius curse. She took them to the Hog's Head instead. She turned and saw Snape rounding a corner and their eyes connected as she pushed Draco through the door. In the moment before she shut the door, Mia saw Snape's wand drop slightly, and his head moved down as if in a nod, and then she was through the door. She ran into Draco, just through the entrance, he was stopped in the room watching the barman of the Hog's Head, standing unmovable with his arms crossed.

He seemed to recognize her, and she pulled Draco to the fireplace by the corner.

"Oi, what you be doing there?"

"Sorry sir just need to use the floo. Meadow Lake," she whispered into Draco's ear and then pushed him towards the fire. She pulled a few coins out of her bag and turned back to the bar man. "Bit of an emergency I'm afraid but I promise we'll pay for the powder."

She heard the fire flare behind her and sighed with relief. Even if she couldn't be there to help Draco with explanations, at least he was safe.

"Now stop right there. Hogwarts shouldn't be out this late, nor should you be off the school grounds and you definitely shouldn't be flooin' anywhere."

"I need to get information out to the Order immediately," she told the barman.

She wasn't totally sure he could be trusted, but she had once seen him in a picture of Order members back when her mother was still alive.

The old bar man's eyes lit at her words, and he nodded once. "If this becomes a regular thing, I'll rat you out. But tonight," he looked towards the castle where the dark mark shone. "Tonight, I'll pretend as though I never saw you. Now get going." Mia and nodded once and turned to the fire. Something caught her eye and she looked out the window to see Harry shooting hexes at Snape, who deflected each move, but didn't shoot back. She shook her head, unsure what it meant, and crossed back to the fire, threw in a bit of powder and said the name of her home.

Draco was standing in the middle of her dark living room, looking around as though unsure where to go. When she stepped out of the fire he glanced at her relieved. "I need to go back, warn my dad you are here, and figure out why Harry is still attacking Snape." She ran a hand over her face. "You will tell my dad everything you know when he gets back? About You-Know-Who's plans?"

Draco looked scared again, and at first, she was afraid he would refuse, but he nodded. "Harry is fighting Snape because he finally realized Snape's been a double agent all along. He's on my- You-Know-Who's side."

"No." Mia shook her head. "He was a double agent for our side, for Dumbledore."

"Mia, he killed Dumbledore." Mia shook her head. He must have it wrong. "He made an unbreakable vow with my mum, that if I failed, he'd do it, and he did. Harry was there, he saw Snape do it."

Mia let out a ragged breath and covered her mouth. She felt like she was falling, like the world was falling around her. It couldn't be true, but she didn't think Draco would be lying to her. She trusted Snape. Dumbledore trusted Snape. How could she have been so wrong, and Harry, grudge holding Harry Potter be right?

Mia sat down in one of the chairs. She had spent so much time alone with him over the years, and always he had treated her with contempt, but he had still taught her, still helped her. She had to get back, make sure Harry was ok. He was no match for dueling Snape. She stood again and looked around, then at Draco.

"I'm sorry I have to leave. I promise my dad won't be mean when he gets here. There's probably food in the kitchen, and you can stay in Remus's old room. It's the first door on the second floor. _Will_ you be ok?"

"Yes," he said, and swallowed hard.

He had his determined face again, and she nodded. Then after a second she stepped forward and hugged him. He stood rigid in her arms, but she didn't care, and she squeezed once before stepping back. "You will be safe here, Draco. You're family, and I won't let anything happen to you."

She didn't wait for a reply, but turned back to the fire, and returned to the Hog's Head. It was empty this time when she got back, and she started the trek back to the castle. Harry and Snape were nowhere to be found. There was a crowd at the foot of the tower, although none of the tear streaked or shocked faces belonged to those who had been with her in the battle. Kingsley was there, managing the crowd. She approached him and put a hand on his arm. He looked down at her with tear filled eyes and crouched so she could speak to him softly.

"Have you seen Snape?" she asked.

Kingsley shook his head. "No, he's likely around here somewhere, but most of our people, your dad included are gathered in the hospital wing."

Mia took the information in stride. She couldn't think about who else might be dead now. It was too horrible to consider. "He did it. Snape," she said. Kingsley needed to know if he was here, trying to help.

"Did what?

Mia nodded towards the still form in the grass. "Snape killed…" She couldn't finish, but she didn't have to.

"Did you see it?" Kingsley asked steadily.

Mia shook her head. "No, but Draco did. He told me. He was supposed to do it, but he didn't."

"Where is he now?" Kingsley's eyes roamed over the crowd.

"He's somewhere safe." Kingsley's eyes landed on her, and she held them, not about to be intimidated by the weight of the stare. "He says he will tell us everything he knows. I'll tell dad where to find him, ok?"

Kingsley nodded. "Tell them in the Hospital wing all you told me. I will send messages to the rest. Headquarters is no longer safe."

He straightened and sent out a patronus, and Mia started towards the entrance of the castle, clearly dismissed. She climbed the steps to the hospital wing with determination. She wasn't sure she could handle it if any more of her friends were dead, but she had to keep climbing.

She shouldn't have worried. The only one who had died that night, besides Dumbledore, had been a Death Eater, hit by one of the hexes the large death eater had been shooting off in every direction. It was hard to believe they had all made it, and Hermione made the point, they likely wouldn't have if it wasn't for their liquid luck.

Bill was the worst off. They weren't sure what side effects being bitten by a werewolf not on the full moon would cause, but there was always Mia's werewolf animagus potion if he needed it. But the scars, he would likely have for the rest of his life. Fleur said she didn't mind one bit, she was just thankful he had lived. Her and Mrs. Weasley had a bonding moment, and Mia hoped the wedding later that summer wouldn't be as awkward as Christmas dinner had been.

Harry had told them who had killed Dumbledore, and about Snape's betrayal. They all talked it over, in slow shocked voices, reliving step by step where they had seen Snape. He had kept his cover through the very end, not harming anyone other than Dumbledore.

After a time, Mia built up her strength, and pulled Sirius aside, holding Gabe's hand, and bringing him along for comfort, and so she wouldn't have to explain everything twice.

"Am I finally going to be told where you disappeared to after the battle?" Sirius asked, crossing his arms. "Your boyfriend wasn't alarmed till after the potion wore off, so we figured you were alive, but a note would have been nice," he added with clear sarcasm.

"Do you trust me?" she asked.

Sirius sighed and dropped his arms. "Yes Mia, I trust you. I trust you more than I do any other sixteen-year-old girls."

"Well if that's the narrow category I've managed to top, I feel so honored. How many other sixteen-year-old girls do you even have in your life?"

Sirius ran over his face. "This is what I get for reproducing."

That was better. He was smiling a little. This would be easier if he wasn't in worried father mode. "Draco betrayed You-Know-Who tonight and he's going to do it more. He said he'll tell us everything he knows about their side, but we need to keep him safe."

Sirius looked confused at first, then disbelieving. "Oh, please tell me you didn't grant your death eater cousin sanctuary."

"Draco was supposed to kill Dumbledore, but he didn't. You heard Harry, he said he was standing there with every opportunity, Dumbledore completely defenseless, but he didn't do it. He doesn't want to go back to them. He wants to join our side."

Sirius started pacing.

"Will you keep him safe, Dad?"

He stopped pacing and got close enough to whisper. "Mia, we just found out our last ex-Death Eater was a double agent and just betrayed us all. Do you really want to go in for round two?"

Mia crossed her arms. "He's family dad. I thought you'd understand someone who's trying to move away from their family's beliefs."

"But that's the difference isn't it?" he said loudly, then dropped his voice again. "I left that family. I didn't turn into a death eater."

"Dad, you were raised by blood purists not by Death Eaters. What if you had been raised by Death Eaters and had been sorted into Slytherin and hadn't had James and Remus supporting you along the way? What if your only support had been Death Eaters and the children of Death Eaters? Would you really have broken out on your own?"

He ran a hand over his face again. "All right, fine, but I want to hear it from him. Where is he?"

Mia hesitated. "I promised him we would keep him safe, and that you would be nice to him when you saw him. Dad, he's in a really dark place right now, and he's mean and rude when he feels scared."

Sirius looked pained. "You want me to be nice to my cousin's Death Eater spawn?" Mia glared at him. "Fine, I will take Remus, but you have to tell Harry."

Mia winced. "I may wait a few days."

"Deal," Sirius said, and he stuck out his hand to shake. Mia shook it, and then he pulled her in for a hug. "I'm so glad you're safe." They separated. "Alright, where is the kid?"

Mia smiled. "I told him he could have Remus's old room."

Sirius rolled his eyes and went to get Remus. Mia turned to Gabe to see what he thought. "Do you think I'm being stupid trusting him?"

"Who, Draco or Sirius?" Mia grinned and elbowed him. Gabe smiled softly. "You have a big heart, Mia. It's one of the things I love about you." He pulled her close and held her. "I trust your instincts."

"But they were wrong about Snape," she said softly so her voice didn't crack. Here, in the safety of the Hospital wing and Gabe's arms, her adrenalin was finally crashing, and the shock of the night was seeping in. She wanted to find somewhere quiet to cry and let out all of the tension, sadness and fear of the night.

Gabe didn't say anything. They had all been wrong about Snape.

Dumbledore's phoenix set off into the night, flying through the sky, and singing into the darkness. It felt like the music was inside of her, an expression of her own pain radiating out, until the phoenix finally disappeared over the forest.

All lessons were suspended, and exams were postponed till after the funeral. Parents came to pick kids up, some kids refused, arguing through the halls. Apparently Hogsmeade was packed with wizards who arrived to pay their respects. Madame Maxime arrived in her powder blue carriage, the minister of magic, and a delegation of officials were staying in guest rooms in the castle.

Mia cried at the funeral, and so did Gabe. Her tears were so constant, she worried they would never stop, till she shriveled up, dry and dehydrated. She knew so many faces in the audience, members of the Order, the Hogwarts Express trolly lady, and so many more. The centaurs came, the merpeople sang, and then in a flash of flames, the marble table Dumbledore was laid on was sealed.

Her father found her afterwards, and hugged her by the edge of the lake, his own eyes red from crying. He told her Draco was safe and had provided them with better info than they could have imagined. They were working on getting a message to his mom, but it would take some time.

Her last few days at school passed too quickly. There were fears the school wouldn't re open again, and when they finally had to leave and head home for summer, Mia worried she would never see the castle that had been home for so long, ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> only 2 or 3 chapters to go after this!! are you ready?? I still haven't finished the end of year 7, because there's just so much. So if you don't get a post on Monday you will know why :] hope you enjoy this!!


	139. The Eight Potters

That summer was spent planning. Mia wasn’t the one planning, it was mostly the Order, but she found ways to know what was going on, and force them to let her be involved. Kingsley and Arthur Weasley went to Harry’s home with his aunt and uncle to explain things. When Harry turned seventeen the protections on their home would break, and Voldemort could come and kill them all, and likely would, or would use them as a tool to get to Harry. So instead they wanted to break the enchantment early. The Dursleys would go into hiding, and Harry would stay at the Burrow till Bill and Flur’s wedding, and Harry’s seventeenth birthday. Once he was seventeen he could travel freely without fear of the trace, so he could floo to stay with Mia and Sirius if he wanted, or go back to Hogwarts, or homeschool with Mia, as Sirius was trying so hard to convince her to do.

Sirius wasn't invited to the meeting with the Dursleys, because as Kingsley explained, they needed to have a rational conversation, and Sirius would never be rational when it came to Harry's family and how they had treated him for years. 

The world was in shambles, people were going missing, or turning up dead everywhere. The Hogwarts muggle studies professor was one of many who disappeared, and the Order was convinced the Ministry had been compromised. The head of Magical transportation had passed laws for Harry’s “Protection” that would make it nearly impossible for them to get him to safety, as long as he had the trace, further proving the Ministry’s corruption. 

Mia and Gabe still traveled to see each other regularly, that was fine, no one cared where they went, and Gabe could apparate legally, but when Harry went to the Burrow he would have to stay put till he was seventeen. Although Mia didn't think he would really stay put long. She was quite sure he was planning something.

Draco was sullen and mopey most of the time. Gabe and Mia tried to draw him into conversation regularly, and he made an effort not to be rude, which had always been his default, without the rudeness, he was just sad. Gabe and Draco worked on their occlumency to pass the time. His aunt had taught him some, to help him keep secrets the year before, and with his knowledge and Gabe’s they were able to practice effectively. His information had helped the Order immensely. Mia wasn’t allowed to know the particulars, but it had helped the Order to prevent a few key assets from being compromised. Eventually, they got a message to Draco’s mom, Tonks’s mom had managed it, although she wouldn’t tell Sirius how. Narcissa’s reply had been no. If she left, then Bellatrix would stop at nothing to get them both back. If she stayed, and Narcissa pretended not to care too much, Draco’s loss would be less felt. The message implied, as it was, with Draco’s father's failure at the ministry the year before, and Draco’s abandonment, the Malfoy family was out of favor, and their home had been taken over by the Death Eaters. 

Mia could tell his mom’s reply had hurt him, even if Draco didn’t show it. His mother ultimately was sacrificing herself for him, but he felt like she was abandoning him all the same. Draco had told her how his aunt Bellatrix had been staying with them since she escaped from Azkaban. She was obsessively protective of Narcissa, and had also tried to protect Draco, but her idea of protection included teaching him nasty spells, after first showing him exactly how they felt. Mia shivered when he told her how the Cruciatus curse had felt. 

Harry gave evidence against Snape, as the one who had killed Dumbledore, but the Ministry didn’t seem to move on the idea, and the news was buried among articles about Dumbledore's life. Then the smear campaign started, with rumors of a book telling about Dumbledore's troubled past. Sirius was surprised it took so long to start. 

Hermione came over a week into summer, planning on staying for a few weeks before she went to the Burrow when Harry arrived. 

Mia's summer project was potions. She made every useful potion she could think of, pepper ups, strengthening, veritaserum, and then labeled each bottle in excruciating detail with dosing instructions and warnings. Mia showed the potions to Hermione, all stacked neatly on a shelf in her lab. 

“I thought if there was any reason why a huge stash of potions would be useful to you over the next few weeks, or months or something, you might want these?” Mia said. She didn’t say outright that she knew they were planning something, but Hermione understood all the same. 

Hermione looked at Mia, her eyes welled with tears, and then she cried and hugged Mia, thanking her. Then she confided in Mia what she had done. She had erased herself from her parents’ memories, and convinced them to move out of the country. It was the biggest sacrifice Mia could never imagine making, but Hermione knew her parents would be a target, and she had to keep them safe, so she could help Harry. She didn't tell Mia what her Ron and Harry were planning, she didn't have to. She just packed each potion away into her tiny hand bag as she wiped away her tears. 

"I'll have a few more at the end of the month if you are still here,” she told her.

No one was totally sure at first, if Hogwarts would re open, and if it did, if they should go back. Sirius spent days trying to convince first Mia, and then Gabe and Hermione that homeschooling options were a very valid possibility. They argued about it constantly. 

Mia refused all of Sirius’ suggestions. She and Gabe had talked about it. Grades, NEWTs? They didn't matter anymore. If they graduated, getting jobs as an auror or a healer were right out now. All of those institutions were being invaded by Voldemort's corruption. No, Gabe and Mia didn't care about graduating any more, they didn't want to stay safe locked up at home studying. The war was upon them, and based on the ministry’s continued interference, Hogwarts would be one of the first battlegrounds. But telling Sirius that would only make him fight harder. 

Mia was making lunch for everyone when Sirius came into the kitchen and set down the two-way mirror. He was frowning as if he didn’t notice Mia was there. 

"What's wrong?" she asked.

He looked up at her, and smiled slightly, then sighed again. "I think Harry's planning something, but he won’t tell me what."

"I'm not surprised."

"What do you mean?"

She wasn’t sure how much to tell him of what she expected, but he needed to prepare a little so he didn’t panic when Harry did leave. "I can't exactly see Harry going back to Hogwarts now. Dumbledore spent all year teaching Harry, training him, like he knew their time was short. I think Dumbledore gave Harry a task, and now he's going to do it."

"What did you hear?"

"Nothing. It's just the way he would talk with Hermione and Ron."

Sirius sighed. "Then he should talk to me all the more. I could help him."

"But that's not how Dumbledore worked was it?" Mia asked. Saying his name was a heavy weight on her chest, but she kept going. "With the Order, he always compartmentalized tasks. Everyone who needed to know was told and no one else, right?"

Sirius looked at her shrewdly this time. "And how did you pick up on that bit?"

Mia just smiled. "I think Dumbledore told Harry who all he was allowed to share with, and I think that list ended with Ron and Hermione."

"But they are just kids!"

Mia shrugged. "Ron and Hermione are both seventeen, and Harry will be soon too." Mia looked at her dad again meaningfully. "I will be seventeen soon as well."

"Oh, planning on going off too then?" he asked, anger in his eyes, and maybe a little fear. 

"No, not in how you mean. But I am going back to Hogwarts."

"Oh you are, are you?"

"Yes," Mia said. "I will be needed there."

"I don't want you--"

I know what you don't want, dad," she cut him off. "You don't want me to be hurt, ever, under any circumstances. but that's not the world we live in, and keeping me safely wrapped up where no one can hurt me will only last till I'm seventeen, so maybe instead of trying to stop me, you can help me and Gabe prepare, and plan."

He sighed and left the room. He would have to figure out what he was willing to accept on his own. Eventually, he started in on Hermione instead, trying to get the answer out of her, until she started spending more time at the Burrow. 

It wasn’t the only fight they had. 

The plan to pick up Harry from his aunt's and uncle's house, and deposit him at the Weasley's was set, and Mia had a big row with Sirius when he said she couldn't go. She wasn't yet seventeen. She threatened to apparate to Harry's house on her own and help anyways, but Sirius explained the tracker to her. The tracker that all underage wizards had. If Mia apparated there, she would get them all killed. 

"Gabe's going! It's not fair that I can't!"

"Gabe turned seventeen last Christmas. He isn't being tracked, and you can’t even use magic legally." 

Mia stopped and took a deep breath. Her anger wouldn't help her argument. 

"Illegal magic isn’t tied to the trace, they won’t know it’s me doing the magic. You're planning on using several means of transportation, hippogriffs, thestrals, what if I go to Hogwarts and fly one of the thestrals to Private Drive?"

Sirius's face went blank, and Mia stopped her flood of excitement from showing. If he couldn't argue against it, it meant she was winning!

"No," Sirius said flatly. 

"What would you have done in my place?" Mia asked. “In this situation if you were told you couldn't go help James or Remus because you were too young, what would you have done? Would you have sat home like a good little boy waiting for everyone else, or would you have done something reckless and put yourself in more danger?" Sirius's face looked grim now. That's what she thought. "What will a few weeks difference in age really mean for me, dad?"

Sirius sighed and turned around as if looking for another answer. Then he got a gleam in his eye and grinned. "Convince your godfather. If he says yes, you can do it."

Mia sighed, and grabbed the floor powder. 

"How did you hear about the thestrals?" he asked. 

Mia smiled and threw the powder into the fire. "I hear everything, dad. Get used to it." After a muttered direction she swirled away in a wave of green fire. 

Tonks and Remus were happy to see her, until she explained why she was there. 

"No," Remus said shortly. 

"I'm not totally against the idea," Tonks said, and Mia smiled. Remus turned to her, shock on his face. 

"What's gonna change for her in a month and a half of life? She's basically an adult now."

“If she comes we'll have an uneven number.”

“I'll take your place then," Mia said, crossing her arms. 

Remus gave her a look like his patience was wearing thin. Tonks nudged him. “Mundungus doesn't want to go anyways, he's a security risk.”

“She's underage. If she tries to apparate out at any point she'll be traced.”

“So send me in the opposite direction of Harry. If I'm traced, all the better.”

Tonks looked at Remus with a small smile and Remus sighed and fell back on the couch. “Let me talk to your father.”

Mia started to squeal with excitement but then stopped herself at Remus's look. 

Sirius was livid when they got back to Meadow Lake. "How could you say yes, Mooney? I made you godfather so you would be the voice of reason! If I’d wanted someone to encourage her to risk her life for cheap thrills I'd have made it James!"

"Don't you dare, Sirius. You sent her to me to be the bad guy because you can't say no to her!"

"Exactly!" Sirius yelled. "look at that face," he said, pointing to Mia grinning on the couch. "How am I supposed to say no to that face? It's just not possible! That's why I have you!" 

The fire flared and Gabe stepped in. Neither man seemed to notice and he edged around the screaming match to sit next to Mia. 

"What's going on?" he asked. 

"Dads are fighting."

Gabe grinned. "About what?"

"I get to be a Harry."

“Let me guess, Sirius said yes, and Remus put his foot down?”

“Other way around actually.”

“Hmm, interesting,” Gabe said, nodding with appreciation. They continued watching the argument. Hermione came to watch the, and then Draco popped in to see what it was about. Eventually, the two men dissolved into Sirius threatening to corrupt Remus’s future children, and Remus swearing to make Harry the Godfather instead.

Tonks went to get food from the local diner, and when she returned the two men gave up, hugging and saying how much they appreciated and loved the other. Mia had won, they had both agreed and couldn’t get out of it now. She would remind them later when they were well fed. 

On the day of the plan, Mia and Sirius went to Hogsmeade, and walked down to Hagrid’s hut. The half giant called the thestrails, and Mia and Sirius mounted up, then followed Hagrid flying a motorcycle, which had once been Sirius’s till he gave it to Hagrid the night Sirius went after Peter Petigrew. They landed at Harry’s aunt and uncle's house where they met the others who could all apparate. 

They crowded around Harry’s empty living room and joked till Moody called them to order and explained the plan. Harry didn’t like the plan. All of his friends and family turning into him so they could act as decoys to get him out? No, he didn’t like the plan at all. He was the only one who was allowed to sacrifice for others apparently. But he was outnumbered, by a lot, so eventually, he stopped arguing, and Moody passed out eight cups of polyjuice potion. Besides, this was all just a precaution anyways, no one knew they were leaving that day, so they would all be safe. 

Mia took her cup, and swallowed it in one go. After a moment her whole body felt like it was bubbling and burning. Her body started stretching in weird directions, and her scalp itched as her hair receded into her head. After a moment, the world was fuzzy and blurry, and her body stopped changing. 

Mia turned towards the Harry standing next to her who was wearing Gabe’s sweater, now very baggy, and grabbed his boney elbow till he looked at her, squinting to see better. “Am I still cute enough to kiss?” she asked him, in a voice that felt so weird coming out of her throat. 

Gabe/Harry looked a little green and grimaced. “Let’s never talk about this again,” he said, patting her awkwardly on the shoulder.

“What’s wrong, honey?” she asked, trying to snake a hand around his waist. It felt wrong, because the waste was not Gabe’s but the look of utter distress as he dodged away from her was totally worth it. The others all seemed to be having just as much fun or distress in Harry’s body, and Moody started handing out glasses and spare clothes. Harry really was quite blind. When Mia changed, she felt weird at first taking off her shirt, and then her bra in a crowded room, but it wasn’t her body after all. She tried really hard not to think about anything at all as she changed her pants into jeans that fit. 

When they were dressed, they all paired back up with the ones they would travel with. Sirius insisted Mia would go with him. Moody warned him the enemy would think him likely to be carrying the real Harry after Kingsley and Moody, but Sirius didn’t care, he was keeping Mia with him. 

Harry went with Hagrid on the flying motorbike. It was a good plan. Most blood purists doubted Hagrid’s abilities at literally everything, so they would never imagine he would be trusted with the real Harry. 

Mia and Sirius were to travel a ways to Ron’s great aunt's house, then portkey to the Burrow. Everyone had a different destination where portkeys were waiting for them, but they would all end back at the Burrow. There were a dozen destinations, Meadow Lake included, that had been given the most extreme protections so that no one would guess which Harry eventually ended at.

When they were ready, everyone mounted up, and they set off into the sky. As soon as they were in the air, they were attacked. Mia’s heart raced and she shot hex after hex at Death Eaters, and blocked spells along with Sirius. Someone must have sold them out. They swerved away from the others, heading west and trying to draw some of the Death Eaters away from Harry. Mia wanted to go back and help the others, but they all had to stick to the plan. She saw one of the Death Eaters she had battled the night Dumbledore had fallen, a light haired woman with an evil sneer. One of her spells connected, hitting Sirius hard in the shoulder and causing him to slide off the thestrails back, but Mia grabbed his arm and pulled him back up. He was bleeding, and couldn’t use the arm, but Mia couldn’t pause in shooting spells long enough to heal him. 

When they were nearing their destination, all of the Death Eaters swirled away as one, and disappeared into the night. The silence was even worse than the chaos, like something bad had happened. They landed at Ron’s aunt's house, and Mia set to work healing Sirius’s arm. They made it inside the house as the portkey was starting to glow, and grabbed it just in time, not even saying hello to Ron’s aunt. 

When they arrived at the Burrow, Remus made them both answer security questions at wand point before they could go inside. Harry was ok, he had been attacked by Voldemort personally, and Hagrid had fallen through the sky, but was mostly fine. George was not ok. Snape had attacked him, and he lost an ear, and Mia had to break the news that it likely couldn’t be regrown. She got the bleeding to stop, but it was severed with a curse, and such wounds left their mark.

Ron and Tonks, Gabe and Moody all should have been back before them, and the fear and worry were growing in Mia’s chest. Hermione and Kingsley arrived next, just as their potions started to wear off. They had also seen Voldemort before he had disappeared, likely to chase after the real Harry. Apparently Voldemort could fly, without a broom. 

Mr. Weasely and Fred came next, and dropped next to George, who woke when they came. He made a joke about being “Holy”, and Fred, teary-eyed, pronounced that he was finally the better-looking twin. 

Eventually, Mia, Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Kingsley and Remus all made their way outside to look up at the sky and watch for their loved ones. There was a gust of wind, and then a broom appeared and streaked towards the ground, Tonks and Ron stumbled off. They had been delayed because of Bellatrix facing off with them. She had tried very hard to kill Tonks. 

Kingsley left, back to guard the Muggle Prime Minister, and everyone else kept looking at the sky until finally a thestral flapped awkwardly to the ground, and landed exhausted. Mia ran to them, along with half the others, as Bill dismounted and Flur handed Gabe down to them. His arm was bloody and he was unconscious as they carried him into the house, and set him on the floor next to George. Mia barely listened to their story while she healed him. Voldemort had gone after Moody first, and hit him straight in the face with the killing curse. His body started to fall and Gabe tried to dive after him, but he too was hit with a spell, and tumbled towards the ground. Bill and Flur saw him, and the thestral managed to dive in time to catch him. Flur had a sprained wrist, and Bill some bruising, but Voldemort had taken off to take out Kingsley, and they had escaped. Their thestral, overburdened, had taken too long to get them to their destination, and they went straight for the Burrow after missing the portkey. 

Mia’s hands were shaking by the time she had finished healing Gabe’s arm. They’d had too many close calls that night, and she didn’t know what she would have done if she lost Gabe. When his eyes finally fluttered open, she leaned down and kissed him, her tears falling on his face. Somehow they needed to be better prepared next time, only luck had saved them this time, but they needed more if they would survive through it all.

They drank to Moody’s memory that night, and Mia also drank to Hedwig, who had been killed in the battle, taking a killing curse meant for Harry. 

Mia and Sirius stayed the night. Mia slept next to Gabe and George in the living room, and Sirius joined Harry and Fred in Fred’s old room. Gabe was awake and groggy in the morning, and promised to apparate to Mia’s after a big breakfast and another nap. Mia and Sirius flew the thestrail back to Hogwarts, then returned to Meadow Lake, and a Draco who felt very left out. 

Tonks and Remus came over the next day. She was pregnant and glowing with joy. Mia hugged her and celebrated with them. Remus had a look of near-constant bewilderment, that sometimes dipped into joy, and sometimes to apprehension. Tonks explained later that he was worried about what would happen, with him being a werewolf. Even though he wasn’t strictly speaking a werewolf anymore, he still had the fear. Mia hoped he got over it soon.

The rest of the summer was spent in relative peace. Mia spent a lot of time going through potions books in their personal library, making lists of anything that could be useful for their seventh year, and then lists of potions ingredients they needed. Sirius, reluctantly agreeing to help instead of fight, helped her in ordering enough potions ingredients to keep Hogwarts stocked all year. She bought out all the dittany she could find in three apothecaries. 

She brought additional potions to Hermione, when they went to the Burrow for Harry’s birthday. Just before dinner, Mr. Weasley’s patronus appeared and said he was bringing the prime minister. Tonks and Remus left, Remus was still registered as a werewolf officially, and the ministry had been passing a lot of sanctions and laws that would look bad for the Weasley’s if they were seen there. His werewolf status meant he could still treaty with the others, trying to win them from Voldemort, but it made life harder.

Apparently Dumbledore had left Ron, Harry and Hermione things from his will. Ron had a cool magical light putter outer that Dumbledore had invented. Hermione had a book of kids' stories, and Harry had a snitch he had caught in his first quidditch game. Mia, and most of those present, knew they were likely more than they seemed, but the Ministry hadn’t figured it out, so Mia hoped they helped on the quest the three seemed to have. 

The next day was Bill and Flur’s wedding. It was beautiful. Mia was so happy for them, and could never be thankful enough to the couple for saving Gabe’s life. Luna and her father came, and so did Viktor Krum. Mia and Gabe danced a good bit, and snuck off a while later for some alone time in the cool summer night. 

As the evening grew late, Mia and Gabe wandered back towards the tent, just in time for a patrons to fall through the roof and open its mouth speaking in Kingsley's Voice. “The ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming.” 

There was silence, then people started screaming, and running. People apparated away where they stood, as the protections on the Burrow failed. Mia and Gabe ran into the chaos, as masked Death Eaters appeared all around, shooting hexes at guests. Sirius ran to them as Gabe deflected a spell. 

“Gabe! Take Mia and go!"

“No!" Mia yelled, but it was too late, she saw Sirius deflect another curse, then they were twisting through nothing, and landed in the back field of Meadow Lake, just past their enchantments. “No! We have to go back and help!” Mia called. 

“Mia think! You're still underage! If you use your wand you could be arrested. You know they will look for any excuse if the ministry had been taken over. You will be sent to Azkaban!”

“But they could be hurt!” Mia snarled, her anger melting into fear. 

“I know.” Gabe pulled her in for a tight hug. “But we don't have any choice. We will stay here, and when it's all over we can maybe go back to help.”

Mia nodded in resignation and they crossed the meadow into the house protections and entered through the back kitchen door. Draco was in the sitting room, and looked worried when they told him what happened. 

“If they broke the wards at the wedding, they could do it anywhere,” he pointed out. “If the minister is dead, they have the full weight of the ministry behind them.”

The realization dawned on Mia just as a loud bang sounded at the front door. Gabe was a little quicker to think. “Draco, go hide, now!”

Draco’s eyes shown with fear, but he hesitated for just a moment as they could hear people moving through the entrance, and he ran for the upstairs. Gabe shot a spell at the stairs behind Draco, and the movement cost him. The door to the foyer burst open, and Gabe’s wand went flying in the air as he shoved Mia behind him.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Mia’s aunt asked. Bellatrix crossed into the room, her wand up and trained on Gabe, a few Death Eaters at her back. Mia noticed Narcissa was with them too, although her wand wasn’t out. “A couple of baby blood traitors?” Bellatrix cackled. 

“ _ Homenum Revelio _ ,” Narcissa called, and Mia felt a light breeze wash over her. “Only these two,” she said with a frown.

“But he could be hidden with a spell,” Bellatrix said, her voice sharp and suspicious. 

“Or he might not be here at all. Who would think to guard human presence in their own home?” 

Gabe would, Mia thought. Gabe thought of everything. He was protecting Draco, who was the most vulnerable at the moment, and Mia could kiss him for it. She would if they survived.

Bellatrix sneered. “Go and check anyway. I’ll keep these two busy while you search, Sissy.” 

Narcissa’s eyes met Mia’s for just a moment, and she saw the worry and fear. The Death Eaters broke apart. One heading for the kitchen, another heading up the staircase for the library, and Narcissa and the blond Death Eater who had cursed Sirius the night they had retrieved Harry headed up the staircase towards the bedrooms where Draco was hidden.

When they were alone, Bellatrix grinned and turned back to them. “Now, we have a few questions for you two, and believe me when I say I hope you refuse to answer.”

Mia gripped her wand behind Gabe’s back, and prepared to fight. “Go to hell,” she told her aunt. 

Bellatrix smiled. “Oh goodie, I so prefer the hard way.” 

Gabe’s hand dropped behind his back. He was asking for her wand. He didn’t want her to use it, and be sent to Azkaban. There was so much fear and anger pulsing through her, she wasn’t scared of the prison at the moment, but ultimately she knew he was right, and he was the quicker dueler. She put the wand in his hand, and his fingers closed tight around it. 

Bellatrix shot a spell at them, and Gabe whipped his arm around and deflected it, then another and another. He was shielding and deflecting so quickly, Mia couldn’t believe it. She knew he’d been practicing, even dueling with Sirius that summer, but she didn’t realize he had gotten so good. In any other situation, it would be incredibly attractive, but just now, Mia’s emotions were too close to the terror side. After a few tense moments of dueling, the kitchen door opened and a Death Eater reappeared, and Gabe couldn’t deflect them both. 

A spell got through and Mia’s wand went flying, then Gabe was screaming, and falling to the ground, his body writhing as Bellatrix tortured him. Mia moved. She didn’t have a wand, but she could fight Bellatrix with her hands. But then the spell was taken off of Gabe, and a moment later a white-hot fire was racing over every inch of Mia, and agony worse than anything she had ever felt coursed through her. It was like she was being stabbed a million times over by tiny fiery daggers. Her flesh writhed, her throat burned as she screamed and screamed. And then it was over. She was lying on the ground next to Gabe, her body shaking and rippling in aftershocks of pain. She could hear Gabe’s ragged breathing beside her, and his hand carefully moved to her shoulder. The Death Eaters in the room were laughing.

“Now, why don’t you tell me where Harry Potter is.”

Somewhere in her mind there was relief knowing they hadn’t yet caught Harry. 

“Fuck off,” Gabe spat, and then he was screaming again, thrashing hard against Mia’s back. 

“No!” Mia yelled. “We don’t know! He could be anywhere!” Mia shouted, unable to lift herself from the floor.

Then the fire was back on her, and she was screaming again, and Gabe was shouting, and the world was nothing but pain and agony. 

When it stopped, Mia’s brain pulsed in her head. Her vision was blurry, and sounds were fading in and out. 

“Did you find him?” a voice said as though speaking through a tunnel.

“No, he isn’t here,” another voice said. 

“Pitty.” 

The pain was back, and her skin was crawling with fire. Then it faded again, and she was again shaking on the floor.

“–she’s family,” a voice said faintly. 

Mia tried to look around, but her eyes couldn’t focus.

“You mean blood traitor scum.”

Mia tried to reach for Gabe, see if he was still there, but her arms wouldn’t respond, spasming uncontrollably. 

“If they knew they would have said something by now. Let’s check in with the others, see if someone else found Draco.” 

Her fingers connected with another hand. Warm and soft, Gabe’s fingers laced with her own.

“Fine, Sissy. We can keep looking for the boy.”

Sometime later Draco was leaning over her, saying her name, fear intense in his eyes. He was asking her things, but she just closed her eyes and gripped Gabe’s hand harder. It was a while before she felt ready to sit up, and even longer before she could drink the tea Draco made without spilling it in her shaking hands. Eventually, they worked on rebuilding the wards around the house. They could only do the most basic ones, Sirius would have to do the rest when he returned. She worried about him. What had kept him at the wedding, if he was ok? But she agreed with Gabe that they needed to wait for him at the house. The effects lingered, and as she settled into the couch next to Gabe, and pulled a blanket over their legs, her and Gabe’s arms and legs occasionally spasmed and throbbed. 

As they settled in to wait for Sirius, Draco sitting on the edge of his chair, guilt and pain in his eyes, he told them how his mother had seen him, and made him promise to stay hidden, to stay safe. She cast a Confundus Charm on the Death eEater with her, Alecto, before returning back to the sitting room to convince Bellatrix to leave.

Gabe had tried to apologize when they were putting the protections back up, but Mia made him stop. It wasn’t his fault they had been attacked, or that he couldn’t fend off two Death Eaters with decades more experience than him, and if he had tried to protect Mia instead of Draco, she likely wouldn’t have forgiven him for it. He’d made the right call, and it would never be his fault they had been tortured. 

It was hours before Sirius finally returned, he looked disheveled, his dress robes were torn, and he had a small cut on his cheek. He told them no one had been badly hurt. The Death Eaters had rounded up everyone they could, and questioned them for hours while they searched the Burrow from top to bottom for Harry. He, Ron and Hermione had escaped, and no one was quite sure where they had gone, which was for the best, because that meant he hadn’t been caught. Sirius was beyond livid to hear what had happened at Meadow Lake, and worked on restoring all the enchantments he could. Slowly reports came in from other Order members, the Death Eaters had broken through every known Order member's enchantments. No one had died, but Ted and Andromeda Tonks were also both tortured. Bellatrix and Narcissa had gone there after visiting Mia. Another Order members house had been burned down.

Things changed drastically after this, the Daily Profit made a complete turn from speculation about Voldemort's whereabouts and all the things the Ministry was doing to keep the people safe, to completely avoiding the topic of the dark wizard, and talking instead on the true threat to the wizarding world: Mudbloods. 

Pius Thicknesse became the new ministry of magic, but the Order knew he was under the Imperious curse, so he was basically just a figurehead for Voldemort. 

The ministry was also making some questionable choices with who they did or did not convict of crimes. Draco’s dad, for example, was acquitted of all charges, and set free from Azkaban. When Draco heard this, he returned to his room, and didn’t come to dinner.

Then it was announced Snape would take over as headmaster, appointed by the Ministry, and Sirius was dead set on preventing Mia from going back to Hogwarts. Then it was announced that attendance at Hogwarts was now required for all underage wizards. Where before, homeschooling was an option, now everyone would be forced under the eyes of Snape. Just thinking about it made Mia’s blood boil. She had trusted him, truly and completely trusted him, and she felt like such an utter fool. 

The only ones not required to attend were muggle-borns, who were now seen as not really wizards. For anyone under age, this meant no returning to Hogwarts, no letters for their next year of term or for new muggle-born eleven-year-olds. For anyone over Seventeen, this meant a new muggle-born registration, no one was quite sure what would happen if a muggle-born couldn’t prove their blood status. 

Death Eaters were watching the house, and apparently the houses of all the well known Order members. They were looking for Harry, and they weren’t the only ones. Sirius kept leaving with Remus, heading off for mysterious trips. Mia didn’t question this, just worked on her own plans for the new school year. She and Gabe had been right. With Snape as the new headmaster, Hogwarts would be a battleground, and they would help lead the defenses. 

Three days later Sirius showed up "Don't call Kretchure for a few days, ok?" he asked, looking smug.

"Why not, he’s still working in the Hogwarts Kitchens, right?" They had sent him there after headquarters had been compromised. Inviting Kretchure to Meadow Lake, forcing Sirius to be alone with him all year just seemed like a bad idea.

"Loaned him out for a few days," Sirius said, cagily.

Mia narrowed his eyes at him. "You found them," she said, positive he had seen Harry, Ron and Hermione. 

Sirius just shrugged. "If I did it would be unwise to share it." Mia smiled, reassured they were safe. She didn't know what they could possibly need Kretchure for, but knowing they were safe was reassuring. 

Mia’s birthday was a small affair. Sirius took her to the Ministry to get her Apparation license. The atmosphere was bleak and grim. Afterward, they had a small dinner with Gabe, Remus and Tonks. Sirius got her an invisibility cloak for her birthday. "It's not as good as Harry's cloak,” he told her, “but it should help a little with your plans this year." 

Mia smiled and hugged him. It wasn't just an expensive gift, it was him supporting her plans to return to Hogwarts, and she couldn’t be more thankful. 

Before the night was over, Gabe handed Mia a small packet of old paper. She unfolded it, shocked to see the Marauder’s map. She looked at Gabe in confusion. He shrugged. “Harry told me to give it to you. Said it was your turn to keep it for a while.” 

Mia smiled and looked down at the blank parchment. It would come in handy in the year to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUESS WHAT?? I got the last chapters finished last night!! 🎉  
> I stayed up till like 1 am editing, and wrote maybe 8-9k words :] but it's finished!! I will be posting them before my beta gets a chance to go through them, so I will probably update them in a week with edits, but yeah, I hope you enjoyed this last summer. What do you think of Mia and Gabe's plans?


	140. Seventh Year

The train back to Hogwarts was leaner than it had ever been before. All muggle-born students had gotten the memo and stayed home, likely hoping to stay under the radar of the muggle-born registration laws. Ginny, Neville, Luna, Gabe, and Mia huddled in a compartment together. After they shared stories about their summers, they sat quietly in the compartment, all with their minds on the same three missing students they all wanted to see, but knew they couldn’t talk about. 

When the train started to come to a stop, only an hour outside of London, they looked out the windows in confusion. Death Eaters were outside and started boarding the train. Nevil got an intense look on his face and stood up opening the compartment. 

"Neville, no!" Mia tried to stop him, but he brushed her off and walked into the hallway. Mia, Gabe and the others followed him out, standing behind him and blocking the rest of the train as the Death Eaters walked on and stared them down. 

“He’s not here,” Neville told them through gritted teeth. 

“We’ll check for ourselves, boy,” the Death Eater said, raising his wand. 

“On who’s authority?” Neville asked, pulling his wand out of his jeans. 

“On the minister o’ Magic’s, maybe you’ve heard of him?” The Death Eaters behind the man laughed. “We don’t wanna spill pure blood, but we will if forced,” the man said, grinning. Gabe put a hand on Neville’s shoulder, and they filed back into the compartment. Neville stayed in the doorway, watching the Death Eaters move up and down the train, as if making sure no one was hurt. 

Only when they were gone and the train started slowly moving again did Neville close the compartment door and sit back down. He was frowning, but when he opened his mouth to speak, Gabe shot a silencing spell Hermione had taught him at the door, then nodded to Neville.

Neville took a deep breath. “We should reinstate the DA,” he said. Mia nodded in reply. It was a good idea. As they all nodded back at Neville, he seemed somehow surprised, as if thinking he would have to convince them more. Encouraged, he continued. “With three Death Eaters on staff, we need to figure out how we can subvert their authority, and protect the younger students.” He looked around at them all. “Any ideas?”

Ginny was the first to speak up. “Dumbledore left Harry the Sword of Gryffindor in his will, but the ministry refused to give it to him. I think we should steal it.”

No one said a word, and Mia had the urge to laugh. As a first plan of attack, it was a bold one. Eventually, Neville nodded. “Okay, we can work on that. It’s in Dumbledore’s office, right?” 

“Yes, in a glass case on the wall.” 

“Right. So we would need a distraction to get Snape out of the office,” he listed things off on his fingers, “a way to make sure the hall outside is clear, a place to hide the sword, or get it to Harry, and Snape’s password.” It sounded so much easier as a list, and Mia started getting a little hopeful.

“I have an invisibility cloak my dad gave me, and that map we used last year before the battle,” Mia told them. “Just so you all know my resources.”

“Oooooh, with an invisibility cloak we could take shifts outside of the office and wait till someone uses the password,” Luna said, her eyes big. 

Neville was nodding. “Yeah, that could work. Let’s all spend the first few weeks getting a feel for the school, and seeing what things are like, then we can meet and talk about the best way’s to proceed. Anything else we should work on?”

Mia chewed her lip for a moment, not sure if she should tell them her other plan. But secrets had never really helped in the past. They needed to work together this year.

“I’m planning on using the room of requirement to brew potions this year. I want to have extras, and things we can’t get from the hospital wing, in case we need to use them without any staff knowing.”

Neville nodded, as though her hedgie excuse made any sense. 

“What can we do to help?” 

Mia shrugged. “Maybe help with figuring out how to keep us safe in the room, I don’t want anyone to get in like they managed fifth year.”

Neville nodded again. “I think I have a few ideas on that.”

They spent the rest of the journey planning, and psyching each other up for the year. It felt so surreal to be going back to Hogwarts, not knowing what would really be waiting for them, but as she walked off the train, she felt almost excited, surrounded by allies and friends. 

The feeling ended when she walked into the great hall, and saw Snape. He sat in Dumbledore’s seat in the center of the table, looking out on the crowd of students. Rage filled Mia at the sight. Gabe squeezed her hand once, and nodded, reminding Mia she wasn’t alone, before he made his way to the Ravenclaw table with Luna, and she returned to the Gryffindor table with Ginny and Neville. 

Things were different at Hogwarts that year. Snape had reenacted some of Umbridge’s old rules, such as disbanding any student meetings of more than three students, and Muggle Studies was now a required class, taught by the Death Eater, Alecto Carrow, who had hit Sirius the night they had retrieved Harry. The class taught them a lot of things about Muggles that were not true, and very unflattering. Her brother, Amycus Carrow, was teaching Defence against the Dark arts, but the class basically became the Dark Arts, as they were taught curses and hexes. They were ordered to practice the Cruciatus curse on students who got detentions. Mia, Gabe, Neville, Ginny and all of the DA who were quietly rejoining their forces got detention a lot. Neville realized when he stood up to the Carrows, it encouraged everyone around him, so he started standing up a lot, and mouthing off. Mia had plenty of practice healing his cuts and scrapes and the lingering effects of the Cruciatus curse. All punishments were supposed to be directed to the Carrows, but when the other teachers saw how the Carrows punished, they started doing everything in their power to cover for a student who broke a rule. 

McGonagall watched the school crumbling before her with steely eyes. Not once did she ever tell Mia to try harder to follow the rules, or to stop speaking up in class, even when it resulted in her being cursed. Instead, McGonagall would nod to Mia with solidarity each time they passed in the halls, and she whispered encouragement after small interactions. The teachers were trying their hardest to resist the authority of the Death Eaters, but it was obvious they were just as scared as most of the students. 

The Quibbler was the only one printing the truth now. It was kinda crazy. The magazine was banned at Hogwarts, and getting caught with one could get you expelled, but they still made their way in from time to time, and news got through. Ginny was sent a radio from her brothers as a gift, and showed them all how there was a new station called “Potter watch” that Lee Jordan had put together, where they talked about the resistance, what was really happening, warnings about new threats, like the Jinx on Voldemorts name, deaths, missing people, and hope. Each time it was on, all the Gryffindors would crowd together to listen. Ernie Macmillan got a radio in the following week, as did Gabe, and in the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff common rooms, every night the broadcast happened, 3/4ths of the school tuned in. Mia recognized many of the voices, her Dad, Remus, Gabe’s brother, knowing they were out there and safe gave her hope more than anything else ever could. They still sent owls, once a week or so, but all the mail was searched, so the letters usually talked about absolutely nothing, only serving as proof the other was alive. 

When they finally decided to move for the sword of Gryffindor, Mia and Gabe were tasked with distracting the Carrows while Ginny retrieved the sword with Mia’s cloak. Unfortunately, this meant when the alarm spells over the sword were broken, they had no chance to get away. As punishment… Snape ordered them all to spend an evening in the Forbidden Forest. They had tea with Hagrid, and Mia got to visit with the wolves. They were all banned from Hogsmeade, and Ginny and Gabe were also banned from quidditch for the rest of the year, but really, the punishment was surprisingly light. 

Mia’s potions project was going well. By the end of November, she had a cache of potions for healing and defending her classmates. Going to the hospital wing was reported, and would result in additional punishment, but it became quietly known Mia could patch up most issues. She also had three vats of a golden shimmering potion brewing in the room. The Felix Felicis would take a few more months to stew, but Gabe was the only one who knew about it. She wanted to have it for the next time all hell broke loose. They had been lucky so far, but sometime soon she knew they would all need more luck. She just hoped the potions would be done in time. 

A week or so before Christmas break, Neville pushed the Carrows to far, and they decided to put an end to him. The others didn’t find out about it till after he didn’t return to the Gryffindor common room one night. Then it was announced at dinner the next evening that if anyone were to see him they had to report him for he had broken some unspecified law and would be arrested on sight. They found him in the Room of Requirement. He had figured out how to keep anyone who didn’t have the best intentions of the resistance completely out, and had taken cover. The entrance of the room kept moving all over the school, and if anything, it only made Neville’s subterfuge of the Death Eaters even stronger, for now he wasn’t holding back. He kept an eye on Mia’s potions, not realizing what they were, but otherwise left them alone. They just needed to stew, and didn’t need any maintenance. 

Mia left her cloak with Neville before boarding the Hogwarts Express home, he planned to stay in the school, and Mia wanted him to have all the protection he could get. When the train stopped, a few miles from London, and the train was again boarded, they thought they might be looking for Neville. That was why they were unprepared when the Death Eaters cast a freezing curse over their compartment and ripped Luna from the train. Gabe blamed himself, even though none of them had seen it coming. The next issue of the Quibbler had been filled with the same lies as the daily profit. They had just been trying to silence Luna’s dad, so they had kidnapped her. 

It was wonderful to see her family again. The Orders work seemed to have stalled, and the number of tasks Sirius was able to help with had dwindled. Sirius and Draco had built up a weird comradery. Apparently it had started when they could no longer leave the house as frequently, and Draco had cracked at Sirius’s bad cooking, and raided the library for a cookbook. Apparently he had learned to cook, and was better than Mia had ever been. This made Sirius finally accept him as more than his Death Eater cousin. Food had won him a place in Sirius’s heart. Mia found it endlessly funny, and made fun of him as he served her beautifully golden pheasant as a welcome home dinner. 

Remus and Tonks came to Christmas dinner, and Mia got to catch up, and even felt Tonks’ baby kick in her stomach. It was so wonderful being together again, Mia didn’t want to go back to Hogwarts where she was cursed at least once a week, and spent the rest of the time under constant fear and pressure. She lied every time Sirius asked her how things were. He knew, of course, but there was nothing he could do about it. 

When Gabe came over to listen to Potter Watch with them the night before they were to return, she could see the same heavy weight resting on him. But then there was a report, about how the Lovegood home had exploded, and that there were rumors Harry had been involved. No one was hurt, but it reminded them what they were fighting for. They returned to Hogwarts, ready, if not weary. 

As they walked up the steps among the crowd of other students, determined to continue the fight, Mia saw McGonagall standing a few steps up the staircase, looking over the tops of the crowd for something. Her eyes connected with Mia, and her expression shifted to fear and worry. She stepped down the stairs as though coming towards her. Someone bumped into Mia’s side, then grabbed her arm. 

“Shhh. It’s me. Grab Gabe and follow me.” Neville’s disembodied voice came out of the air. Gabe had heard, along with a few shocked looking second year Hufflepuffs. 

Mia grabbed Gabe’s hand and followed when Neville tugged her. Gabe cast a disillusionment charm over himself and Mia, the only one in their grade having mastered the skill so far, and they followed Neville to the room of requirement. They looked around the room, all three of them a little shocked to see it had changed, even since Neville had last been inside. Before it had held a small hammock on one side, with a Gryffindor flag, and a small bathroom, and Mia’s potion station. Now it was several times bigger, there were three hammocks, a Ravenclaw flag, a few couches and chairs, a bookcase, and Mia even noticed her trunk. 

Mia looked around to Neville to show her shocked expression, then realized he couldn’t see her. “Gabe, can you lift the spell?”

He reached out and felt for her, then cracked his wand over her head, then his own. “You really need to practice it,” he said with a smirk when she could see him again. 

“Yeah, well, I’ve been a little too busy to read ahead in our charms book.”

Neville walked slowly across the room, and put a hand on the Ravenclaw flag. He chuckled. “The room always knows.” 

“Knows, what? What happened Neville?” Gabe asked.

“I was out doing my rounds and was going by the teachers’ lounge, it’s the Carrows’ favorite hangout spot because they can torment any teachers who make the mistake to go in. Anyways, I heard them talking about how things needed to change in the castle this term, and that they should start it off by making a big show of strength. They decided since they couldn’t get to me, they would go after you two. Alecto just wanted you Mia, since your dad is believed to be in the Order, and they could use you against him like Luna, but Amycus said Gabe was the stronger threat.” He shrugged at this, as if apologizing for them thinking Gabe was more of a threat than she was. Mia just shrugged. Gabe was offense, and she was defense. She was fine being underestimated. “Anyways, they planned to do it at the welcome feast. Detain the both of you in the great hall in front of the whole school.”

Mia realized now why McGonagall had been so worried when she’d seen Mia heading towards the great hall. She loved her professor. Mia looked at Gabe, and they smiled at each other. “I guess it’s an honor to join you as a renegade then, Neville,” Gabe said. 

They all chuckled together and spent the evening playing exploding snap and practicing disillusionment charms. A few house elves supplied them with some of the feast, and all in all it was a lovely night. Mia even discovered the bathroom had also been upgraded into something she was actually happy to use. That night they got word to the other DA members so they wouldn’t worry, and things progressed almost like normal. Students still knew if they were hurt, they could wander around the seventh floor, and eventually, a door would open, leading to Mia’s new medward when the coast was clear, and they continued to fight graffiti-ing the halls, and encourage others.

Kreacher brought them food every day, and sometimes Dobby came too. Kreacher was different than he had been in the past. Somehow, in the time Harry had “borrowed” him from Sirius, he had earned Kreacher’s trust, and changed the elf’s outlook on life. He sported a big shiny locket on his chest that he protected fiercely and wouldn’t let anyone look at too long. When she’d asked, he said Harry had given him his master's old locket, but wouldn't say more, as if afraid Mia would demand its return. After the weeks he had spent with Harry, when Harry had disappeared on a mission and didn’t return, Kreacher had worried, and eventually returned to Sirius who sent him back to Hogwarts. Mia was glad the elf felt at home in the castle, as he would never do well alone with Sirius. She was also incredibly thankful for the food he brought.

Two weeks later, a fourth hammock appeared in the room, and the three renegades examined it closely. Nevile was the one who noticed the passage open up on the far wall like it sometimes did when a student needed them and the room led the student to Mia, but this time no one appeared. Instead they decided to risk it, and follow the passage. They found Michael Corner, one of Gabe’s old roommates. He had been badly beaten and tortured. They levitated him back to Mia’s med station and she set to work on him. When he recovered he told them he had tried to free a second year the Carrows had chained up for refusing to call his muggle-born mother a mudblood. 

Over the next few weeks, more and more hammocks appeared around the room as more students fled to the room's protection. Soon they had flags and students from every house except for Slytherin. The Carrows were getting more proactive with trying to stomp the resistance. They attacked Kreacher, when they realized he was smuggling most of the food, and banned him from Hogwarts, then ordered the rest of the house elves to not provide food to anyone on their hit list. 

It was a big blow to morale. After Michael’s beating, few were brave enough to risk such a direct action, and now without food it was hard to want to do anything. Ginny was one of the only main members of the DA still attending classes, and she had to play it very cool. The Carrows were watching her every move, hoping she would lead them to the others. She still made small shows of defiance, put up “Dumbledore’s Army: Still Recruiting” in all the main corridors, but she couldn’t sneak any food out of the great hall, there were charms preventing it. 

A few days later, Mia hung in her hammock next to Gabe, staring blankly at the ceiling and the rest of the hammocks stretched high above. The room had created a pretty balcony with more hammocks the week before, and the crisscrossing hammocks swaying gently above her was relaxing. Her stomach hurt. It had stopped growling, but instead felt a little sick, like she’d eaten something bad, but she hadn’t eaten anything. They still had water, so that was great, but they couldn’t go much longer without food. 

All the secret exits from the cast had been sealed up at the beginning of the year with nasty curses blocking the entrances, and dementors guarding the exits. She and Gabe had gone to investigate one of the better entrances to Hogsmeade to see if they could figure out the curse, but it was beyond them. Gabe had gotten a nasty burn on his arm for his trouble, and they had given up. A lack of food took away the desire to do anything.

She was running through a list of the potions ingredients she had in her head, and thinking through which were edible when Neville interrupted her thoughts. 

“That's new," Neville said.

He was behind her head and Mia didn't know if she had the energy to look. Sighing, she turned and glanced over the back of her hammock to see Neville looking at a portrait of a sweet looking blond girl hanging on the wall. She was smiling sweetly and when Gabe poked his head out of his hammock, and they were all looking at her, she gestured for them to follow, then turned around and started walking back, into her painting and what looked like a tunnel. Other faces looked towards the painting, though no one had much energy to move. 

Mia frowned and stood up just as the portrait swung open, and revealed an actual tunnel. Mia blinked. 

"Think we should follow?" Gabe asked.

"Of course we should." Neville slid his trunk to the wall and started climbing up. 

"But what if it's a trap?" a second year Hufflepuff asked.

Neville looked at her with a grin and shrugged. "The room wouldn't let in anything that would hurt us, you lot stay here while we check it out.” 

There were a few murmurs of agreement, and Neville climbed into the hole, Mia followed him up, with Gabe behind her. 

The passage had smooth stone steps. and brass lamps hanging on the wall. The ground was packed dirt as though many walked this way. There were no cobwebs, and it was most definitely not on the marauders map. It was a long walk to the end, the end being the wooden back of a portrait. Neville pushed it open, and they looked down into a small shabby sitting room. 

“Where do you think we are?” Mia asked.

“Who’s there?” a deep gruff voice asked. 

Mia thought about fleeing, but a moment later a familiar face came into view. It was the barman of the Hog’s Head. He stopped in the middle of the sitting room and stared at them, shock and maybe amusement on his face. The first time she had met him, she knew he had been in the Order of the Phoenix, back when her mother was still alive. She hadn't realized then that he was Dumbledore’s brother, Aberforth. She had learned that later when the smear campaign on Dumbledore had started. She has spoken to him that night his brother had died, before anyone really knew what had happened. 

He looked them over now, closely. His eyes rested on Mia for a long moment. “So what brings yer lot to my sitting room?” he asked, as though it wasn’t totally weird for them to be crouching in the wall over his fireplace.

“Uh, who are you exactly?” Neville asked, obviously not recognizing the man.

“He’s Aberforth,” Mia said quietly. “He’s a member of the Order.”

Aberforth snorted. “The Order is no more, girly.” He turned from them and started messing with a tea tray. “Now, tell me what you need and be done with it. I’ve heard you lot have all been on the run in the castle for ages. Don’t know how you managed it, but I can get you out of Hogwarts.”

“Do you have food?” Gabe asked.

“Yes, I have food, this is a pub after all. So food and three safe passages out of Hogsmeade then?”

“We aren’t leaving,” Mia and Neville said in the same moment. 

“Oh bother, climb down from there and let's talk. I have leftover stew downstairs.” 

The three students followed quickly and excitedly. Aberforth fed them, and spent the time trying to convince them to abandon the school, but they refused completely. He wasn’t totally heartless, just doubted the order would have any success now that his brother was dead. He made his opinion of their plans of resistance very known, calling them all sorts of idiots, but he wouldn’t refuse to help them. He agreed to provide food, and help them communicate with the Order, and they promised to tell the other students about his offer of a way out of Hogwarts. Predictably no one wanted to leave. Now that they had food again, and a way to communicate with the outside, their morale had increased. Mia got messages to Remus and Sirius, and even to Lee Jordan who was running Potter Watch. 

Realizing their plan to starve the rebels out had failed, Death Eaters tried to abduct Neville's grandma. Unfortunately for them, they underestimated the old woman, and one Death Eater was in St Mungo's, and Neville’s grandma was on the run. She got word to him a few days later and told him how incredibly proud she was of him, and to keep fighting. Neville read the note several times, teary eyed. 

The first day of spring break Mia felt heavy. She was heart sick for her family and tired of fighting. She knew it was selfish to think that way, so she tried to pretend she didn’t, and instead curled up with a book to read the day away. 

Neville came to her at lunch with a rolled up scrap of parchment. “Updates for the Order.” 

Mia wanted to roll her eyes, or growl, or say something mean. He could deliver them to Aberforth just fine, he didn’t need to interrupt her reading and remind her she was still here in this world, instead of in the distant world of her book. “I don’t have anything to add,” Mia told him, and lifted her book back up, trying to make her message clear. 

“Well, I was thinking this one was kind of important, so maybe one of us should deliver it to an Order member in person,” he said, shifting on his feet uncomfortably. 

It was an old posture of his, one of insecurity she hadn’t seen on him in a while. What was so important about the note? She took it from him and unrolled it. It just gave basic updates on their numbers, and the actions they’d taken, and asked for any additional news or updates from the outside. Mia frowned. They had sent dozens of identical notes like this through Aberforth. Why did Neville think it was important? 

“So would you like to deliver it in person?” he asked again.

Mia understood then, the realization coming over her like a cool breeze on a summer day. He was offering her a day trip. A way to get out for a while. To see Sirius, to remember life outside of this room. She jumped up and pulled Neville into a big hug.

When she finally let him go he chuckled, back to the confident Neville she now knew so well. “Maybe take Gabe with you just to be safe.” 

She couldn’t remove her grin when she went to tell Gabe. They made their way through the passage to the Hog’s Head, then talked to Aberforth, before disillusioning themselves(Mia had finally gotten the hang of it) and apperating to the edge of the wards of Meadow Lake so the Death Eaters watching the house wouldn’t see them. 

Sirius wasn’t home, but Draco and Kreacher were, and Draco was beaming when he saw them. Kreacher made lunch. Mia was a little startled. She had never seen such a big smile on his face without the edges of his smirk. He hugged both Mia and Gabe, then made them lunch. It was delicious. 

They were laughing and joking in the sitting room, telling old stories from their Hogwarts days, back when Hogwarts was really Hogwarts, and not the dark place it had become. Then the Malfoys came. They heard the yelling first, coming from the front of the house. They were under the Fidelius charm and had been for months, but Narcissa knew the basic location of the house, so it wasn’t impossible to stand in the street out front and yell in their general direction like Lucius now was. He looked bad. She’d known the Malfoys were out of favor, but seeing the old man, his face paler than usual, heavy bags under his eyes, time had not been good to him. 

Mia Gabe and Draco stood at the front door looking out the small windows on either side. Draco whimpered slightly as Lucius grabbed his wife's arm forcefully and pulled her forward. Her expression was bleak and full of fear. Lucius pushed her forward again and said something they couldn’t hear. Narcissa looked up at where she believed the house to be and called out. 

“Draco, honey. Your father wants you to come home now.” Her voice was light and sweet, but it shook at the end.

“Keep going Narcissa,” Lucius said sharply. Narcissa flinched. 

“Draco, dear. We need your help with something--”

“Or we will all surely be killed, boy!” Lucius shouted. Narcissa closed her eyes and a tear ran down her face.

Draco seemed to hunch at Mia's side. He reached for the door handle. 

“Don’t do it,” Mia said.

Draco looked at her, his eyes were wide with horror. “I can’t abandon my mum.”

“Yes, and Lucius knows that,” Gabe said. “Look at her, does she look like she really wants you to come out? Or does she look like she’s being forced to be here?”

Lucius was yelling again and then whispering in Narcissa’s ear, his face becoming deranged with anger. He held her arm so tightly his knuckles were going white. 

“Does it matter?” Draco asked. “Either way I have to go.” Draco unlocked the door and Mia tried to stop him, but Gabe put his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Draco opened the door and stood on the top step. They wouldn’t see him till he stepped off. “Don’t worry Mia, I don’t know anything about the Orders current activities to tell them anything important.”

“I don’t care about that, Draco. I care about what they will do to you.”

He looked at her and smiled sadly. “Nothing more than I deserve.” Then he smirked at her, his old smirk that she missed sometimes. “Wish me luck.”

He stepped off onto the street, and strode confidently towards his parents, straightening the jumper he wore as he went. His mum’s face broke when she saw him, as though it was the last thing she wanted. “Father, please remove your hand from my mother. Only cowards harm women.” 

“You little blood trader. Think you can talk to me like that?” Lucius raised his hand to slap Draco, but he caught his father's arm. 

“Yes, I do. And if you want my help you will remember it.”

Lucius narrowed his eyes at his son, rage clear on his face, then disappeared, taking Draco and Narcissa with him. Gabe closed and locked the door. 

Mia slumped against the wall, fear she would never see her cousin again coursing through her. “Why didn’t you help me stop him?” she asked.

Gabe shook his head. “Because he had unfinished business with his family. He will never be settled till he faces them.” Gabe sighed and leaned next to her. “I don’t know if it was the right choice, but we wouldn’t have been able to stop him anyways.”

Mia wasn’t so sure about that. They did know some pretty good hexes, but ultimately he was right. Draco had changed a lot over the last year, and she needed to trust the choices he made. Stepping out of the wards had been the bravest thing she’d ever seen her cousin do. 

They didn’t go back to Hogwarts immediately. They needed to tell Sirius what happened at the very least, and Mia wanted to wait for Draco to return. She pushed away the thoughts that said he might not return. 

Alone time with Gabe had been so hard to come by over the year, especially once they had moved into the room of requirement with Neville, but now they couldn't even appreciate it, the fear and anxiety of the night ruining the moment. 

When Sirius returned he was ecstatic to see Mia and Gabe. His old comments of disliking Gabe had faded over the year, as if keeping up the joke was too much work, and now they communicated with mutual respect, and the occasional sarcastic comment. When they explained what had happened with Draco, Sirius’ joy vanished, and they sat together in mutual worry in the kitchen while Kreacher made tea.

“What could they possibly need him for? No offense, but they have plenty of lackeys and they don’t know about his real skill, cooking. I mean unless that news got out, and the Death Eaters need a better cook.” Sirius was pacing back and forth in the kitchen.

Mia rolled her eyes. “It must be something only Draco could help with.”

“But out of all the Death Eaters available for them, what would Draco have that they don’t?” Sirius asked. 

“Knowledge about Harry,” Gabe said in a soft tone. 

Sirius stopped his pacing and stared at Gabe. 

“If that’s the case we have to help somehow,” Mia said. 

“How can we possibly help? We don’t know where they went?” Gabe asked. 

“Yes we do,” Sirius began, and they looked at him surprised. 

“Well it’s the Malfoys who came for him, and we already know Malfoy manor is being used as a headquarters for you-know-who.”

Mia frowned. “How could we ever get help to him there?”

They were all silent for a long time, until the deep dry voice spoke up. “Mistress could ask the house elf,” Kreacher said. 

Mia looked at Kreacher with confusion. “Are you volunteering to go to Malfoy Manor?”

“Not Kreacher, Mistress, but Dobby. He knows the house, he was the house elf.” Kreacher turned back to the kettle and started pouring tea. 

Mia looked at Sirius. “Dobby was the Malfoy’s old house elf. He hates the Malfoys.” 

“Yeah, but he loves Harry. Harry set him free. He would do anything if it had the potential to help Harry,” Gabe reasoned. 

“Let’s try it. Do you think he would call if you asked?” Sirius asked. 

It was a good question. Dobby came when she asked for him at Hogwarts, he was a friend. But she wasn’t his master. It was worth a try. “Dobby?” 

There was a loud crack, and Dobby appeared in the kitchen looking around curiously. “Miss Amelia Black, Dobby cannot bring food any longer,” the house elf said, looking sad. 

“Oh, I know Dobby. We have food. Are you hungry? Would you like some tea?”

The house elf's eyes grew big and filled with tears. “The Miss would offer Dobby tea?”

“Here Dobby, take my cup,” Gabe said offering the cup and trying to prevent any overly emotional moments. “We need your help with something, but only if you are willing.”

Dobby looked around at them all. “Dobby would help the Order of the Phoenix in any way he can, even unto death.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. Here what we have to say before you agree,” Sirius drawled.

“Listen Dobby, Draco Malfoy has been helping the Order for the last year,” Mia started. Dobby’s ears drooped, but he listened as they explained Draco was trying to help the order and Harry, but someone had to help Draco. They explained he probably wouldn’t be helping Harry directly, they didn’t want to lie to the house elf, but the chance was all Dobby needed. 

“Dobby will go and help the Malfoy boy even though he is no longer Dobby’s master. And If Dobby finds Harry Potter, he will bring him here.”

“Well, actually Dobby that won’t work. We are under the Fidelius Charm, so if you do find Harry, you can’t bring him here. House elfs can get in, but not wizards.” Sirius said.

Dobby looked confused. “Then where should Dobby take Harry Potter?”

Sirius shrugged and waved his hands. “You probably won’t find Harry, he probably won't be there.”

Gabe was frowning. “But if he is...”

Sirius sighed. “If he is, then you should take him to Shell Cottage. It’s the home of Bill and Fleur Weasley. They haven’t gone under the Fidelius Charm there, so you can take him there without worry.”

Dobby nodded, determination on his face. “Dobby will go to Malfoy Manor and rescue Harry Potter and take him to Shell Cottage.” And with a crack, Dobby was gone. 

Sirius rubbed a hand over his face and slumped into his hair. “Well I really hope that doesn't backfire.”

Mia silently agreed and picked up her cup.

It was a somber mood that night as they talked over the happenings of Hogwarts and with the Order. There wasn’t a lot the Order was doing at this point, and Mia could tell Sirius realized most of their efforts were pointless, but still, they all were trying so very hard to stay positive, to keep hope alive. 

Gabe and Mia needed to get back. It was getting late, and Neville would start to worry, but then a crack sounded from behind the house, and Mia rushed to the back door, fear flying in her chest. She opened the door just in time to see Draco step over the boundary into the wards before he collapsed into a heap. 

Gabe and Sirius carried him in as she cleared off the table. They set him down and Mia looked him over. His face was bloody. He had a black eye and split lip. His nose was broken and his breath was wheezing and crackled. His hands and arms were curled and kept tightening and spasming. Mia had seen the same thing a hundred times that year on students punished with the Cruciatus Curse. She started running diagnostic scans. He had several broken ribs, a punctured lung, and the symptoms consistent with prolonged torture. She fetched a few potions and started casting healing spells she had grown so familiar with over the year.

When she healed his cracked ribs he groaned and opened his eyes. 

“What happened, Draco?” 

When she healed the puncture in his lung he started talking in a slow matter of fact voice. “Harry was there.” Sirius, Gabe and Mia all gasped, but they quieted quickly so they could hear Draco’s soft voice. “Snatchers caught him, Ron and Hermione.” 

“Dobby was right,” Gabe said, an amused tone in his voice.

Draco looked surprised then winced. “Did you send the elf?” 

“Yeah, we sent him to help.” 

Draco chuckled once, but it was a sad thing. “Yeah he helped them get out of there but left me.” Mia cast the spell to fix his nose with a loud crunch. He winced and rubbed the bridge of his nose. 

“Why did your parents need you?”

“Harry got hit with a spell, it messed up his face so they weren't sure if it was him or not. My Father wanted me to confirm if it really was him or not, since I knew him, and if they called Him without being sure, they would all be in trouble.” 

“What did you say?” Mia asked softly, not sure she wanted to know the answer. 

“I told him it wasn't him. Harry was taller,” Mia smiled. She shouldn’t have doubted Draco, he really had changed. 

“Did they believe you?” Sirius asked.

“Not at first. But my father tortured me, then my mom. I didn't break.” He spit out those last words. “I didn't tell him anything. I only apologized and groveled and pleaded. Then Bellatrix started in on Hermione.”

“What?” 

“I was a little out of it, but Hermione had a sword, I think it was Gryffindor's sword and Bellatrix went crazy. She asked how they had broken into her vault and what else they got. She... She carved something into Hermione's arm.” Draco covered his face with one hand and shook for a moment. “Mudblood. That's what I called her in school. How could you forgive me for that Mia? I was such a monster. But Bellatrix, she carved it into her arm.” A tear carved a path through the dirt and blood on Draco's face. “I'll never forget her screams.” 

Mia wet a towel in the sink and handed it to him. Draco started wiping his face. “Is she ok?” 

“Yeah. Harry and Ron broke out after that. Harry stole my wand.” Draco chuckled and winced. Mia went to work on his ribs, there were still a few smaller cracks. Harry punched me in the eye, they escaped with our old house elf. Apparently there were more prisoners in the basement. They all escaped.” Draco trailed off. “Then He showed up. He was so mad. He tortured me again, accusing me of helping them escape. He used the Imperius Curse and made my father beat me, although really, he would have done it willingly at that point. After he got bored with me my mom helped me get out.” 

“Did you tell them anything about us?” Sirius asked. 

“No. I kept your secrets. Gabe’s occlumency lessons helped. I told him you've kept me isolated. Didn't trust me completely.” He looked at Sirius. “It's the truth, so he didn't push too far.” 

“You didn't tell them anything about Gabe and his family?” So far their involvement in the Order had stayed secret, and they would be in danger if it got out. 

“No. I told them I didn't even know where I was staying. I wasn't let outside.” Mia sighed in relief. She finished patching him up, and gave him a sleeping draft. Mia and Gabe said their goodbyes to Sirius, and returned to school while Sirius levitated Draco up to bed. 

When they returned to the room of requirement, they told everyone what they knew, spinning it to a story of hope, about how Harry was still out there, escaping from Death Eaters, and even You-Know-Who himself. When Mia told them all how Hermione had the Sword of Gryffindor, cheers went up. They had worked so hard at the beginning of the year to rescue it for them, and even though Snape had moved it to a secure location, Harry had gotten it back. It gave them all hope that Harry was truly up to something.

Ginny didn’t return from Easter break. 

It was a blow to their morale, but everyone tried to keep it together. She was the last member of the original DA still able to walk the halls of Hogwarts in the open. Somehow everyone always underestimated Ginny, usually to their own detriment. But now her family's status in the Order was clearly known, as Ron, previously believed by Death Eaters to be sick with Spattergroit, was actually on the run with Harry. It meant his whole family needed to go into hiding. 

Luna and Dean eventually got messages to them. They had been some of the prisoners who had been locked up in Malfoy Manor and rescued by Dobby. Dobby was killed in the rescue attempt. Mia cried for him, though few others did, and she was touched by the funeral Luna wrote her about. 

Luna and Dean were safe and watching on the sidelines while Harry Ron and Hermione planned some new scheme. They told the remaining renegades at Hogwarts that they wanted to be informed when anything exciting happened. They would return when things came to a head. Everyone seemed to feel it. Things wouldn’t keep going on like this, they would soon change. Harry was doing something and making more noise and action than he had in the past. He had a plan, and they would be there to help when the time came. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think of 7th year from a Hogwarts perspective? Last chapter up tomorrow! Are you ready for this??


	141. The Battle of Hogwarts

Things started to change after Easter. Security got tighter at Hogsmeade. You could no longer move on the streets in town after dark thanks to a Caterwauling Charm, and there were complex charms letting people apparate in, but not out. It stopped up a lot of their message options, but they still had the old coins Hermione had made for the DA, and could communicate with the few DA members outside the school who had them.

Then, one afternoon a few weeks later, George sent a message on a DA coin to turn into Potter Watch for an early report. 

Harry had been spotted. But not just spotted. Harry had broken into Gringotts, into one of the high security vaults, and had escaped.

On a dragon.

He escaped on a freaking dragon. 

It was absolutely unbelievable, but Lee had seen the dragon himself as he was minding the twins' store since they were on house arrest after Ron had outed the family as traders. He told them all how the walls had shaken, and customers hid in fear of an attack, but he had gone outside as the loud booming echoed across Diagon Alley. He had stood on the threshold of the joke shop as the top was blown off the old bank and a dragon broke free. He had seen the white albino dragon, covered in scars, as it rested on top of the building for a long moment, breathing heavy. He had thought he saw a few figures on his back but couldn’t make them out before the huge dragon extended its wings to the sun, and took off into the sky.

The conflicting stories started coming in about what had happened, but Lee had an inside tip that it had been Harry, Ron, and Hermione who had broken into a high security vault and stolen something. Stealing from Gringotts was believed impossible, so then people started wondering what other impossible things Harry could do next. Could he really help fix all the wrong they were now facing? Then rumors of the slaughter at Gringotts became known, and that almost confirmed it. It made sense for You-know-who to be so incredibly upset at losing another chance to catch Harry, that he would kill every living soul in the bank. 

Terry Boot, one of the few rebels still able to roam the halls told everyone in the great hall at dinner, all about Harry and the dragon. He was beaten up badly for it, and came to Mia to heal and rest. Beatings were so normal at this point, it didn’t keep them down for too long, and the room was full of excited chattering.

That evening, Ariana, the girl in the painting leading to the Hog’s Head showed up and gestured like she had a message. They hadn’t had any new messages in two weeks, and everyone was anxious for news. 

“This is it,” Neville said, standing up and walking towards the portrait. 

“This is what?” Lavender asked.

“I bet this is what we have been waiting for.” He looked back at them, and he was grinning. “Send messages to the others. They will want to be here.”

“Are you sure Neville? What if it's a false alarm and they are stuck?”

“It won’t be,” Neville said, climbing up into the portrait hole, and disappearing into the background. 

The others talked about it for a few minutes, unsure of the message to send. Seamus didn’t see a reason to wait and sent a message to Dean’s coin. “It’s happening. Get here.”

They were just deciding on the message to send to everyone when the portrait opened again and Neville returned, with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Mia couldn't believe it, but Gabe nudged her chin to close her mouth that was hanging open, and sent their message to everyone with a smile. “Lightning has struck at Hogwarts.”

Everyone crowded around to hug, hi five, and ask questions. Mia got one good hug from Hermione before she was shoved by someone else asking if the dragon really happened. After a few minutes of confusion, and people asking how they would fight, Harry explained they weren’t fighting, they just had a task to do, then they would be on their way.

This didn’t go over well with the room full of renegades who had spent the year planning for just this moment. Building up each other for some great imagined moment where Harry would arrive and help them overthrow Snape and the Carrows. 

Harry also seemed to keep having “moments” like he had fifth year when not practicing his occlumency, like his scar was hurting him, and making him woozy. It seemed to be making him more impatient. Then the portrait opened again, and Dean and Luna showed up, ready for the fight. This seemed to make Harry more frustrated, because there wasn’t going to be a fight. 

It made Mia, and she could tell the rest too, feel a little hurt that he was so against their help with anything he had to do. He didn’t understand how much they had been sacrificing all year. When Ginny arrived, with Fred, George and Lee, it seemed to break him a little. He started yelling at Neville, telling him to stop everyone showing up. He didn’t want their help.

Then Ron spoke up, and asked why everyone couldn't help. Then Harry, Ron and Hermione whispered fiercely for a little bit, and Mia leaned in with everyone else, trying to overhear. She wasn’t going to be left out of the action. 

Finally, Harry turned back to them all. “Ok, there's something we need to find.” And then he explained they were looking for an object that belonged to Ravenclaw. Luna suggested the Diadem of Ravenclaw, a magical tiara that had been lost for centuries. It sounded a little far fetched, but Harry latched onto the idea. Just before Luna and Harry headed out on their mission to the Ravenclaw common room to look at a statue that contained the Diadem, Mia cornered him with one of her small bottles filled with golden shining potion. He looked at it blankly, before his eyes widened. 

“Is that?”

“Yeah,” Mia shrugged like it was no big deal. “Felix felicis. I spent the first half of the year brewing it. Take a small mouthful. There isn’t a ton to go around.” Harry pulled out the cork from the top of the potion, and took a drink. “You too, Luna,” Mia said, and Harry handed the potion over to her. After Luna took a drink, Mia took back the bottle and handed Harry a small pack of papers. “Take this too.”

Harry took the marauders map and smiled at her. “Brilliant, thanks.”

Mia made it back to the group of students, all talking wildly, just in time to hear Hermione. “The bathroom!” and then she whispered to Ron as several students pointed to the toilets. They headed for the exit as Mia cornered them and made them take a drink of potion. They didn’t have enough for everyone, but if the key party involved took it, it would help them all to be successful.

Almost immediately after they left, the portrait opened again, and Sirius, Draco, and Remus came in. Tonks had finally had her baby, Remus told her all about it. He hadn’t been able to get news to them the last few weeks, but he was a boy, Teddy, and he was so healthy and beautiful, already changing his hair color several times a day just like his mom. Tonks and Teddy were at Tonks’ mom’s house where they would be safe.

They were followed quickly by more Order members, including Gabe’s family, Ron’s parents and older siblings, Kingsley, and many others. A sixth year Hufflepuff came to the room to tell everyone Snape had fled and the teachers were rounding up all the students in the great hall. You-know-who was on his way, and they had to defend the castle until Harry was done with his task. It was a bit of a change from Harry's "We aren't fighting" announcement, but everyone cheered and Kingsley took charge. He knew most of the situation, as they had been sending reports out through the Hog’s Head, so he assigned team leaders for specific tasks like quadrants of the school to protect.

When it came to the forest, Kingsley asked for suggestions on how to make it more impenetrable. Once the wards on the school fell, everyone seemed to agree they would fall eventually, they needed a way to keep fewer Death Eaters from sneaking in close from the forest. 

“What if we rile up the Acromantulas?” Mia suggested. Half the room shuddered.

“I don’t know if there is a safe yet effective way for us to do that,” Kingsley said.

“We could ask the wolves to do it,” Gabe said. 

“No! We can’t ask them to put themselves in danger just to help us,” Mia argued.

“Mia, they are in danger either way. If we ask, they can make a choice, and if they say no, at least they will have warning to flee.”

Mia sighed. “Fine, I will ask them, but I will also encourage them to leave.”

Kingsley nodded like communicating with wolves was an obvious battle strategy, and it was decided. Mia would go alone, because a two hundred and fifty-pound tiger was probably safe on their own, and she would be back in the castle before the wards fell. Sirius didn't like it. Remus didn’t like it. Gabe didn’t like it. But they all had their own missions and tasks. Gabe was put in charge of a team who would reverse the charms on all the entrances out of the school, so the Death Eaters and Dementors who had been guarding them all year couldn’t turn them around on them, and use them as a back door through their protections. 

Mia made the rest of them drink felix felicis before they parted ways. She saved the last mouthful for Gabe. He took the bottle from her, and shook his head, a smile on his face. “You totally knew we would need it.”

“Of course, I’m always right about these things,” Mia said.

“You already took some?” Gabe asked as he opened the bottle. 

“Yep,” Mia lied. “You have your message book?” she asked. And he pulled it out of his robes to show her before tucking it back. “I know we probably won’t be able to send messages when everything starts, but just tell me where you end up, ok?”

Gabe nodded, and leaned in and kissed her. It was a kiss filled with so much, fear, passion, love. When he pulled away his eyes were serious. “Stay safe, ok?”

“Only if you do too.”

“I love you so much, Mia,” he said, his eyes full of emotion. He leaned forward again and rested his forehead against hers. 

“I know. Now drink your potion and come back to me, ok?”

“Only if you do too,” he said with a grin as he uncorked the bottle and drank the last of the potion. 

After a final kiss they parted ways. Mia headed down to the entrance hall, the students of Hogwarts were all filling into the great hall. McGonagall would order the younger students to leave through the Hog’s Head.

Mia was just to the front doors of the school when a high cold voice echoed through the halls. It didn’t come from any direction, but seemed to dig into her mind. "I know that you are preparing to fight,” the voice began. It was like knives digging into her head, and she heard screams coming from the great hall. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood.” Mia fell to one knee, trying to cover her ears, but it made no difference. “Give me Harry Potter, and they shall not be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight.” 

Mia stayed on the ground for a few moments, breathing heavy as her mind cleared. She needed to hurry. Voldemort was here, and he was coming for them. She reached for that spot inside of herself and fell to the ground on all fours. The night was alive with her tiger eyes, and she took off into the night. 

It wasn’t long before she found the wolves. They had missed her greatly over the last year, and when she told them of the threat, they listened intently. Taking it just as seriously as she did. Threats of bad wizards who wanted to hurt humans shouldn’t have mattered to them, but still they listened. 

“Right now there's a barrier cutting the forest in half, but if you travel to it now when... If the barrier goes down you can escape deeper into the forest away from the school.” 

Fleetfoot turned to BearChaser. _“Take the pack and go. I will catch up in three nights. And if I do not, you will protect the pack in my place.”_ He turned to the rest of the pack. _“BearChaser will protect the pack now.”_

BearChaser bowed to Fleetfoot and started calling orders. 

Mia turned to Fleetfoot. “If you stay you might die.”

 _“I am an old wolf. If I die to protect my pack, I die.”_ He nuzzled Mia for a moment. _“You are pack.”_

She couldn’t cry in tiger form, but she felt a deep sadness in her heart, and saw him with new eyes. His muzzle was streaked through with grey hair, and he didn’t move as quickly as he once had, but his eyes were as sharp and determined as ever. She had known him for seven years, wolves didn’t usually live much longer than that.

Three other wolves stepped up beside Fleetfoot and refused to leave his side. He nodded to them and they stayed. _“We will help fight,”_ Fleetfoot said. _“What tasks do you have for us?”_

“Well if the barrier comes down the forest is going to be the best place for the enemy to hide close to Hogwarts where they can surprise us. Do you think you could maybe rile up the acromantula, if the border comes down, get the spiders to swarm so no enemy can get through easily?” 

Fleetfoot let out a wolf laugh. _“I will do this. It will be fun.”_

Mia made them promise to be safe, and wished them luck. With a parting nuzzel she headed back to the castle. More time had passed than she realized. The sky was alight with spells hitting the barrier from every direction, and then all at once, the night lit up in a wash of magical fire, as the barrier fell in the air. The first spell made its way onto the grounds, and struck a tower of the castle. Silence fell as if the whole school was holding its breath, and then they could hear the pounding of feet as Death Eaters charged them. Mia raced to the castle walls and found a place next to Luna to transform and make a stand. As she straightened, back in human form, Luna shot a spell into the night at a Death Eater that had followed Mia up. 

“Your fur glows in the moonlight,” Luna told her. “It’s quite pretty.”

“Thanks!” Mia pulled her message book out of her cloak, it was humming softly. 

_Finished with the traps. On the east end of the castle. Stay safe, love you._

Mia smiled and pulled out the self-inking quill she had brought for just such occasion. _Just got back from the forest. With Luna on the West end. Stay safe, I love you more._

The retort would bug him, and make him reply sooner, she hoped. She closed her book and slid it back in her pocket and pulled out her wand, shooting her own spells into the night. It was chaos, and took every bit of herself not to overthink things and worry about her family and her loved ones. Time moved quickly in the battle. She didn’t know how long she stood there guarding the entrance and dueling Death Eaters. 

After a time a swarm of dementors came out of the night, swarming a spot a little ways away. There were so many of them, the night closed in around them. It was more than Mia had ever seen before, a hundred? Two? After a moment she realized why they were focused on an empty spot as Harry ripped off his cloak of invisibility and shot wispy waves of shining smoke at the dementors, Ron and Hermione at his side, but their spells barely stronger. It was too much for them.

Mia hexed the Death Eater she faced off with, and ran to her friends side. She reached for a happy thought, and saw the future, a summer celebration four years from now when they would all come together again, and celebrate how far they had come. Gabe and Harry would be done with their Auror training, she would be done with her Healer classes, Luna would be some magizoologist discovering new creatures, and Ginny would be something brilliant. Hermione would be married to George and ready to take over the ministry. Even Ron would be happy, having found someone who loved him and his humor and his loyalty. They would all be together again in the future, happy and on their way to changing the world for the better. Mia saw this all in an instant, and the shimmering silver wolf burst from her wand. It wasn’t alone, it was joined by Luna’s hare, then Ernie’ boar, and Seamus’ fox, as Dumbledore’s Army came to defend the one who had taught them to capture their own happy memories.

“That’s right,” Luna said, as if she was encouraging a younger student learning the spell. “That's right, Harry...come on think of something happy…”

“Something happy?” Harry gasped, as if the ability was beyond him.

“We're all still here," Luna whispered, "we're still fighting. Come on, now....”

And after a moment Harry turned back to the hoard, and his shining stag joined the others, and together they pushed the dementors back into the night.

Ron turned to them to thank them when the earth shook and a roar blasted the air. A giant approached from the forest, carrying a club that might have been an entire tree. “RUN!” Harry shouted, and they scattered as a foot landed right where they had all been a moment before. Mia shot jinxes at it over her shoulder as she ran, she didn’t think the spells did much good, but another giant came out of nowhere and tackled the first. They fell to the ground with earth-shattering tremors. Some of the walls of the castle that had already been damaged toppled.

Mia had a still moment and felt the book at her side vibrating. She pulled it out in the shadow of a fallen wall and saw Gabe’s message, incomplete as he wrote while she watched. 

_No, I love you more, and don’t argue with me. I just told S--_

But as Gabe wrote and the words formed, they stopped suddenly and then the book crumbled in her hands turning into fine powder and falling through her fingers to the ground. Mia watched it go, her heart pounding in her chest. What did it mean? Was… Was Gabe ok?

A spell blasted the stone by her head, and Mia turned slowly, barely registering the Death Eater coming out of the night and raising his wand at Mia again. It was like slow motion, her heart beating so fast as the man raised his wand, and opened his mouth. The world was falling around her. She had to get to Gabe, to make sure he was ok, but she had to do something else too. She knew what to do when someone pointed their wand at her, so she raised hers too, and blocked the hex just before it hit her. Then she blocked the next, and the next, just as she practiced with Gabe every night. And then she was shooting hexes, and pushing the Death Eater back. Finally she stunned him, and two more took his place. She was lost again in the chaos, and the adrenalin and the panic. IT was good. With her adrenalin high she could forget the fear of loss looming behind her.

She stunned one of the men, and a hex over her shoulder dropped the other. She turned to see Sirius, and they embraced. 

“Have you seen Gabe?” she asked. 

“Yes, he's on the other side of the castle, he just sent me over here.”

Mia shook her head. He could have been hurt after that, it was all too much, and there was no way to know if he was still safe if he wasn't by her side.

“We need you in the Great Hall, we don't have enough healers.” 

His voice was grim, but she looked at him shrewdly. “Is this just an excuse to get me safely inside?”

“Does it matter if it is or not? People are dying in there.” 

Mia didn’t have to think about it. No, it didn’t matter. Even if he was just trying to protect her they did need more healers and Mia was the best they had aside from Madam Pomfrey. She gave him another quick hug and ran back into the castle.

She could bypass the great hall and go out the back way towards Gabe, make sure he was ok, and then return to help. It wouldn’t take too long. 

She glanced into the Great Hall. There were bodies lined up in rows, and people were screaming. She couldn’t ignore them just to soothe her own heart, so she turned into the hall. 

Working in the Great Halls was worse than fighting outside the castle. While fighting she only did damage and defended herself. If she didn't defend well enough she would most likely die, but things moved quickly and when it was only her life on the line she didn't have to deal with the cries of pain and agony from the people lying on the floor around her as she cast spell after spell trying to stop blood, trying to end pain, trying to fix limbs. 

There was so much utter agony around her it was too much to bare, so she didn't bare it. She kept her head down, pushed away the feelings and worked as hard as she could to save as many lives as possible. When she recognized the first face in front of her, a fifth year she once tutored in potions, too young to have stayed behind but somehow did anyways, it was almost too much as she tried to mend the broken body. She nearly got sick a few times and Madame Pomfrey stopped between her tasks and spells long enough to put a hand on Mia’s shoulder and look the girl in her eyes. 

“If seeing the person is too much, try not to see them. Think of it as something broken that needs to be mended. You'll have time to grieve over the moral dilemma later, once they're out of mortal danger.” 

And she tried. She tried not to pay attention to the faces of her classmates and her friends, people she'd spent the last year with, fighting back against corruption, people she'd tried to protect. And every moment she waited with absolute fear for one of the bodies to be brought in with a face that she loved. There were too many people she loved here fighting this battle. It had taken her a long time to learn how to love and trust. And now those people were risking their lives, so many people who held her heart. She started to wish she hadn't been so free with her love, giving out so many opportunities for pain in death. Each person she loved was an opportunity of loss and with their loss they'd be taking away that piece of her heart she had given them. 

Lavender was the first face she saw die. She had been mauled by Greyback, but unlike Bill, the wounds were too large to be held together. Her body was moved to the growing line of still forms on the far end of the hall, all covered in white cloths. 

When Voldemort's voice rang out again across the world, Mia gritted her teeth but didn’t stop her work. If she did stop, Dean would lose the arm. 

“You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery.” Mia rolled her eyes, He was talking about himself in the third person now? She was so done with this. “Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured.” 

“Already working on it,” Mia said through gritted teeth.

“I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour.”

Mia sighed as she cast the last spell on Dean. He was stable now, and just needed sleep. But Voldemort's message troubled her. She knew what it would mean. Harry would now go sacrifice himself.

If she saw him she would tell him how stupid it was, and maybe kick him for considering it. But she probably wouldn’t see him. She turned to the next injured Order member, crying out and holding their bloody hand, missing a few fingers. If she saw Harry he would probably be too injured to walk out to the forest. 

She sank again into the blur of spellwork and healing, as even more bodies, some screaming, some still and lifeless were brought in. 

Now that the fighting had slowed, more wands were free to heal and mend and fetch potions, and before long the queue of crying bodies ended, and everyone was either mending, sleeping, or dead. Madam Pomfrey put a hand on Mia’s shoulder and offered her a large goblet of something. Mia took it and drank. It was a strengthening potion. They didn’t have many left to spare, but she was thankful for it. 

“Take a break from death now, my dear,” Pomfrey told her. She gestured to a figure standing a few paces away. “Go remember what life feels like.”

Mia’s eyes focused and she saw Gabe standing there, watching her. A worried expression on his face like he had been watching for a while. When she looked at him, his face softened and he crossed to her. He reached down, and when she took his hand he pulled her from the floor and into his arms. Her knees cracked painfully, they were raw and maybe bleeding from kneeling on the hard stone floor for hours, but none of it mattered as she melted into Gabe’s arms, and felt his strength and his warmth seep into her. 

She was crying into his chest, so much fear and pain flooding out of her. “I thought you were gone. I thought I lost you,” she whispered.

“The book,” he said, his own voice rough and raw.

“It crumbled in my hands.”

“Someone shot at me while I was trying to write you, and it took the full blast. I can probably make new ones.”

“I don't care about the stupid book,” Mia said, and she turned her face up and his lips met hers and they kissed. It was a salty kiss, filed with their mingled pain and tears. 

When they eventually parted they looked each other over. Gabe looked tired, but mostly whole. A few small scratches and cuts she could heal as soon as she was done holding him. 

“Your bleeding,” he said, concern and annoyance in his voice. “Why didn’t you say something.”

She looked down at her knees, they were covered in blood. “Most of it isn’t mine.”

Gabe gave her a look that said his patience was short, and he knelt in front of her. When he poked at the holes in her jeans she winced. He muttered the spells for healing simple wounds, and she felt the warm tingle of her flesh mending. There was bruising still, but it would be fine for now. As she pulled him back up, a better height for hugging, a voice boomed out again, but this time it didn’t come from everywhere, it came from the front of the castle as if Voldemort magnified his voice using the usual spells. 

“Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone.”

Mia and Gabe looked at each other. The disbelief she felt was clear on his face. Harry would never run, but he would sacrifice himself in an instant. He wrapped an arm around her, and they turned towards the castle entrance, joining the flood of people moving to see what was happening. 

“The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together.”

What she saw when she emerged from the castle, put a lump in her throat, and Gabe pulled her closer to her side. A wave of Death Eaters stood stretched out in front of the castle. There was no way they could beat them all. In front of the mass was Hagrid, he had chains around his wrists and ankles, and he carried Harry in his arms. 

Mia wanted to bury her head in Gabe’s chest, and block out the world, but she knew she had to witness this. They may all die today, but they would die trying to defend what was right, and that was what mattered. They couldn’t live in a world where Voldemort existed. 

Someone screamed. “NO!” it was an ear piercing wail Mia never expected to hear come from Professor McGonagall. Bellatrix giggled and more people cried and screamed as they came out and saw Harry lying limp in Hagrid's arms as Hagrid himself wailed and cried. 

“SILENCE!” Voldemort screamed as if their pain was unbearable to him. There was a flash and a bang from his wand, and they were all forced into stillness. It was as if the sound was cut off from Mia for a long moment. The grief was still there, but her tears were silent. 

“It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!”

Hagrid shuffled forward and carefully, gently lowered Harry to the ground. He lay there in an awkward position in the grass at Voldemort’s feet. A snake, the biggest snake Mia had ever seen writhed at Voldemort’s side as if excited for a snack. 

“You see? Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!”

“He beat you!” Ron yelled, and the spell over Mia and the rest of the crowd was done. They were agreeing again, yelling again, and then there was a second, bigger bang, and they were forced into silence again. 

“He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds,” Voldemort said. “Killed while trying to save himself.”

Neville broke free from the crowd and rushed at Voldemort, his wand in his hand. It was brave. Brave but incredibly foolish. Voldemort shot another spell at him, and with a flash of light Neville crumpled to the ground. Mia gasped, still silent, in shock and worry. Neville’s wand flew into the air and Voldemort caught it. He laughed, joyfully, and threw the wand to the side. 

“And who is this? Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?” 

Bellatrix cakled behind Voldemort. “It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?”

“Ah, yes, I remember, but you are a pureblood, aren't you, my brave boy?”

Neville shook slightly and rolled back to his feet. He stood tall before Voldemort, his fists curled at his side. “So what if I am?” he said boldly. 

Mia closed her eyes. She was about to watch Neville die, and she didn’t want to see it. She opened her eyes again, she had to watch. She had to watch it all. 

“You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom.”

“I'll join you when hell freezes over. Dumbledore's Army!” Neville shouted, and the spell over Mia again broke, and she lifted her voice and cheered along with the rest of the crowd. It didn’t matter if Harry was dead. He wasn’t their leader, only their figurehead. If he was really gone, then they would all have to be their own driving force now. They would each have to lead.

“Very well. If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head," he said quietly and silkily, "be it.”

Voldemort waved his wand again and something smashed a window in the castle and flew through the air. It was brown and ragged and landed right in Voldemort’s hand. He shook it out and Mia saw it for what it was, the Sorting Hat. 

“There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School. There will be no more Houses. The emblem, shield and colors of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice everyone. Won't they, Neville Longbottom?"

He petrified Neville with his wand, then jammed the hat down on his head past his eyes. Mia raised her wand and shot a spell at Voldemort, and she wasn’t the only one, but the masses of Death Eaters moved in, shielding and preventing their spells from passing. 

“Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me.”

Mia saw movement, and then the hat burst into flames on Neville’s head. He was covered in flames, unable to move, unable to fight. Mia screamed, and those around her screamed too. Then a thunder of footsteps echoed from the forest, and Mia saw the giant who had helped them running for them, yelling “HAGGER!” at the top of his lungs. All around him was a mass of centaurs. They charged the Death Eaters and shot arrows into their ranks. The Death Eaters broke up, and then Mia was free to shoot spells at any she saw, Gabe at her side fighting too. Mia turned to Neville, to help her friend, but he didn’t need it. In one clean swoop he ripped off the hood, as if completely unharmed by the spell, and pulled something long and shining from it. With the long silver sword he sliced the air and the head off the giant snake by Voldemort's side. The snake’s head spun into the air, thick red blood flying out, and Voldemort screamed in absolute fury. Everything seemed to still for just a moment while the snakes body thumped to the ground. 

And then the chaos started again, and spells were flying everywhere. “HARRY! WHERE'S HARRY?” Hagrid was yelling. Mia looked but couldn’t see his body. Thestrals and centaurs were attaching and pushing back their line, pushing them all into the castle, the Death Eaters along with them. Mia forced her way into the Great Hall, fighting Death Eaters and blocking the wounded and injured from stray jinx and hexes. A few centaurs charged into the hall, Voldemort was there, calling orders to those around him. There was a large bang and the kitchen door burst open, and the house elves of Hogwarts charged into the fight, all carrying sharp knives or heavy pans, Kreacher in the lead. They hacked and slashed at the legs and ankles of the Death Eaters. And it was absolute chaos. Soon the Great Hall was packed, and Mia shot hex after hex at every black robed wizard she could see. 

At one point Draco was at her side, fighting with her. “Having fun yet, cousin,” he asked as he shot a hex at Fenrir Greyback, who Ron and Neville then brought down. She saw Narcissa also in the crowd, fighting the Death Eaters. Lucius was nowhere to be seen.

The room was too packed to move, and Mia started focusing on moving the injured out of the way so they weren't trampled. McGonagall, Slughorn, and Kingsley were all dueling Voldemort as one, and Bellatrix was fighting Ron’s mom. When she yelled, “NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!” Mia’s jaw dropped, and she couldn’t help but freeze in the moment, both wanting to watch, and worried for Mrs. Weasley’s life. But she shouldn’t have worried. The red headed woman, mother of Fred and George barged her way into a duel with the crazed Death Eater. People tried to jump in and help, but she shouted for them to back off, and she met each stroke of the wand with one of her own. Soon it seemed as if all their enemies had been defeated except for these two. Voldemort battling the three powerful wizards, and Mrs. Weasley battling Bellatrix. The entire hall was silent watching the duels. 

Bellatrix taunted Mrs. Weasley, and Mrs. Weasley went mama bear on Bellatrix, defending her children, and her family. Bellatrix went for a killing blow, in big obvious and joyful movements, but Mrs. Weasley was too fast, and shot a curse straight for Bellatrix’s heart. Mia’s aunt fell back in slow motion and landed on the ground. Mia roared in victory, and Voldemort screamed. 

Mia turned to look at the other dule and saw McGonagall, Kingsley and Slughorn blasted back through the air. Voldemort turned to Mrs. Weasley and raised his wand, but someone else shot a shield charm to protect her. Then that someone took off their cloak, and it was Harry. Harry was alive, and standing right there in between Mrs. Weasley and Voldemort. 

The outcry of shock fell quickly. It was too much, Harry here now, and all the Death Eaters dead or fled. It felt like they should be winning, but Voldemort stood there, and he looked as strong as ever. If all of them shot at once, could that even destroy this monster?

“I don't want anyone else to help," Harry announced loudly. "It's got to be like this. It's got to be me.”

Voldemort hissed. "Potter doesn't mean that. This isn't how he works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield today, Potter?"

"Nobody. There are no more Horcruxes. It's just you and me. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good...."

Mia didn't know exactly what Harry meant, but they went on, Voldemort goading Harry, and Harry explaining how foolish Voldemort had been. Harry spoke about love, how love had protected him all those years ago when his mother had sacrificed herself for him. He said it granted a special kind of protection. The same protection Harry made when he sacrificed himself for everyone in the room. He said Voldemort couldn’t hurt any of them now, and Mia thought about Neville, still as stone with the flaming hat on his head. Still, till he had decided to remove it, and fight back. He hadn’t been burned. 

Then Voldemort tried bragging about how he had killed Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of their age, but Harry again disagreed. For a moment hope sparked in her chest, that Dumbledore would walk through those doors and save them all, but then Harry explained. Voldemort hadn’t killed Dumbledore, and he didn’t arrange for Dumbledore’s death. Dumbledore went willingly to death, asked Snape to kill him to protect Draco. Dumbledore had been dying anyway, so he went willingly to his death. Mia saw Draco across the room, his mother at his side. He saw Draco’s face screw up in disbelief, and a few tears fell through the dirt on his face. 

Voldemort argued that Snape was his man, not Dumbledore’s, but Harry shook his head. He explained that Snape was never Voldemort’s man after the night Voldemort had killed Harry’s mom. Snape had loved Harry’s mom, and her death had broken him. It was a new idea in her image of Snape. She hadn’t wanted to believe his betrayal. It hurt her heart and her trust, and her faith in humanity, but she had believed it in the end, because he was such a nasty unhappy person. There had to be more to his story than just a bitter old man, striking back at the children of his enemies. And when he was believed a trader, Mia hadn’t doubted it too far, because it was a believable answer.

But now with this image of Snape, playing defender and spy for years, all because of a lost love? It threatened to break Mia’s view of the world. She needed to talk to him, to ask him. But Voldemort and Harry were talking about Snape in the past tense, and Mia pushed away the pain flooding through her, and refocused on the conversation. They were talking about a wand now, a wand of power. One that had been Dumbledores, and then, because Draco had disarmed him, became Draco’s. And then, because Harry had punched Draco at Easter, and taken his wand, the magic had passed to Harry. This seemed to enrage Voldemort, and he pointed his wand at Harry’s face.

The room was silent for a long moment, and then with the smallest twitch of movement, Harry and Voldemort both yelled at once, casting their spells. 

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

_"Expelliarmus!"_

There was a loud bang, louder than ever before, and golden flames danced between them where Voldemort’s green spell connected with Harry’s red, and then a wand flew into the air and Harry caught it, just as Voldemort fell back, dead on the ground. 

Harry stood over Voldemort, two wands in his hands, as the sun began to rise in the ceiling of the Great Hall. Mia wondered, as if slightly hysterical from adrenaline and sleep deprivation if Harry would ever give Draco back his wand. 

It was silent for a long moment, and then everyone was screaming and cheering, and shouting in joy. Then Mia was back on her knees, at the sides of the injured, healing as many as she could before the light left their eyes. 

They lost so many that night. Colin, Lavender, and fifty other witches and wizards, two centaurs, and six house elves. When she had done all the healing she could, Gabe lifted her from the ground and made her join in the celebration. She still saw the dead in her mind, but she tried to focus on the living. Sirius was toasting Professor McGonagall, Draco and Narcissa were talking with Gabe’s mum and dad, Fred and George were leading a group in a victory song, Luna and Neville sat quietly in a corner, watching it all, the sword of Gryffindor between them. At one point during the battle Tonks had shown up, and now she and Remus were sitting at the Hufflepuff table, talking softly with sweet smiles on their faces.

Mia remembered suddenly, that she could now go meet Teddy. Now that the danger was gone, she could walk over to her Godfather and his lovely wife, and demand they take her to see their beautiful baby whenever she wanted. The thought brought tears to her eyes, that such a simple thing was again possible. She didn’t wipe the tears away or try to hide them. Instead, she stood proudly next to Gabe, holding his warm hand in hers, and looked around at all the people she loved as Fleetfoot howled his victory in the distance.

Not everyone had survived the night, but her people had, and she couldn’t be more thankful.

The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We did it! Guys! We made it to the end!!  
> I would love your comments and feelings, they make me happy and bring me joy. Tell me what you thought overall, or what your favorite part was. If I get enough comments, then in a few months I will post an epilogue :] 
> 
> As a thank you for sticking with me, here's a link to the first chapter of my novel that I wrote and am publishing: https://www.hmwrites.com/chapter-one
> 
> The whole book is up for pre-order now, and will be released in September. Anyways, I hope you like it :] I'm already working on a sequel. I loved playing in Jo Rowling's sand box so much, writing the story of Mia and Gabe, and now I'm really excited to explore the life of Elodie Harper, a girl torn between two worlds. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you don't hate me for the promo. Thank you all again for your support and encouragement. It really means the world to me.


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